The Promise
by A Rebel's Angel
Summary: What Edward wanted the most was to go home. To do so, he would join Orders, destroy Akuma, fight with Exocists. Anything, but one way or another he was going to do it. No matter what it takes. Takes place after 1st anime. FMA/DGM Crossover. Review
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Can anyone believe there aren't almost any and Fullmetal Alchemist crossover? I know, me either. I have two other stories I want to work but I couldn't help but write this. Maybe this will end my Writer's Block. -_- Enjoy! Btw, this takes place after the first anime.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own DGM or FMA.

* * *

He couldn't move. He felt hazy, as is he were just part of the wind. But he knew. While his body felt completely numb, his mind comprehended everything. He was going to die, or something similar. But in that moment it did not matter.

He had done the forbidden again.

He had done it for Al.

* * *

It was a horrible storm. Not even a storm, more like a strong snowfall, but it was horrible to say the least. Inside the Order, things weren't so different. People were rushing off to different places, doing a number of things. Subconsciously or otherwise, they knew they had to work hard and fast. There was a sense of foreboding in the air and it was terrifying.

They all knew what had just happened.

The Order's exorcists had been gone for a while. Not many knew for what reason but considering most of the exorcists on the same mission, it was worrisome.

Toma searched outside, looking for whatever had activated the energy readings on the Order's radar. It was...unnerving going outside. Considering there was snow that reached his knees and had no plans on stopping, his view of the outside was clouded. There was nothing, but that's not what the radar said.

He kept the dark golem by his side and traveled a little farther than the obnoxious door that separated the Order from the rest of the war.

Now regretting his loss in the bet with the other Finders, he grudgingly looked harder in an attempt hurry up and leave the snowy weather.

That was when the little device in his hand began to beep. Not the beeping with at least two seconds in between but the continuous beeping that warned him something was wrong.

He looked around, tense. It could be a Noah, but he knew that it would have shown up faster and that by the time he would have realized that, he would have been dead. But that didn't stop the Akuma.

By now, he had his hands on his telephone receiver, ready to call the others but he hadn't yet. He had to make sure. Surely, an emergency call from a Finder outside, informing them of anything strange, would send send the tense atmosphere into chaos.

He kept his eyes open, his ears alert and his body ready to move out of the way. The golem flew into the air and stayed in a place that would give it a perfect view of whatever was happening, unless it came from the sky.

Toma gave a little prayer and hoped to God that whatever was going to happen would not hurt the Order. Although he knew his loyalty to the Order was blind, his loyalty to God, his Savior, was not. At least if he died protecting what he loved the most, he wouldn't go to hell. That kind of thinking was going to get him killed one day.

His eyes suddenly widened as a large burst of light suddenly appeared out of nowhere. All he could make out was what looked like an open eye at its base.

He reached for his telephone, which he had dropped on the snow in his temporary blindness, and almost clicked the receiver before the light disappeared as fast as it came.

The wind howled as he stared into the empty space where the sudden light had appeared.

Apprehensive, he slowly walked near the place and was surprised when he saw a black shape on the snow. Hurrying, he walked over to it and saw a shining piece of metal. Narrowing his eyes trying to get a better view in the snow he came to a conclusion.

It was a body.

He reached out for him and retreated his hand faster than he blinked. Whatever that metal thing was, it was cold from what he could tell, only being in the snow for a few moments.

A little more careful this time, he rolled over the body to see it's face.

He was incredibly surprised when he saw that a face like that could not have belonged to an adult. The body was of a child's. He could see a braid of golden hair and a black pants. What caught his attention was the shining metal arm that he had attached to his side. He wasn't even wearing a shirt. In this weather?

Slowly, he pressed two fingers against the boy's neck. After feeling a slow continuous pulse, too slow actually, he realized that the kid was alive.

Another dilemma came: Could he take him back to the Order? He was a stranger and literally came from a burst of light. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't let the boy die. That was obvious, but what was he supposed to do?

* * *

"Yes?"

"Sir, there is a problem."

Komui raised his eyebrows as he diligently took a sip from his coffee. Another?

"How bad?"

He heard the Finder hesitate before answering:

"Not that bad. But the circumstances, they are...strange."

Komui put his cup down, eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean strange?" This was getting incredibly suspicious.

Toma recounted event with vague descriptions. High energy readings, blast of light and the sudden appearance of a body.

"Is the kid alive?"

"He has a pulse but he's freezing."

Rubbing his temples, he began thinking deeply. The story, on all accounts, was strange. There weren't many strange things like that in the Order. As far as he think, nothing of that sort had happened in his years of working inside of it. He had to think fast, or the kid could die before he could make a reasonable solution. Was it a big risk to take in a stranger that had appeared in strange circumstances? He knew that the way things were at the moment as risk like that shouldn't be made. But to risk a boy's life on a thing like suspicion was something he was not would not do. Could not do. Enough sacrifices had been made for the war, he wasn't going to add another one.

"Bring him in."

He heard a sigh of relief coming from Toma, before the line went dead.

* * *

He groaned as he awoke from unconsciousness. His whole body hurt. It felt like he had just been beat up by his teacher. Then there was the pounding headache that refused to leave.

His eyes suddenly opened wide.

"Al!"

Suddenly, he remembered. Dante, Alphonse. Envy. The Bastard. Envy. Rose. His brother had sacrificed himself for his sake, and he had done the same. Tears prickled the ends of his eyes as he remembered everything with amazing accuracy.

He looked at his automail. It looked like a melted mess. It's base was the only resemblance it had to the automail that Winry had given him not too long ago.

Winry. That thought made him realize another thing. He was on the other side of the Gate. He was on the other side of the Gate. He was on the other side of the GATE. HE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DAMNED GATE. HE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DAMNED GATE WITH NO WAY BACK HOME.

He stayed frozen momentarily, allowing his brain to process this piece of information.

The last time he was on the other side of the gate, he couldn't use his alchemy. Was he on that side? There could only be one side of the Gate. But he got back the other time, but he had to died beforehand. So did he have to die in order to return? He had given up his mind, body and soul for Al's, so would him dying on this side take the others back instead?

"I see you're awake," a soft voice said.

An elder woman with a nurse outfit looked at him with soft eyes from above. He took a moment to realize he was in a hospital of some sort. He looked down at himself and found himself wearing a hospital gown and lying on one of the uncomfortable hospital beds.

The older woman sat down on the other end of the bed.

"What I would like to know is how a young person like you ended up almost dying of hypothermia outside?" The woman ask, a little strict.

Edward sat up really slowly, his mind obviously on overload.

"I...don't know." He answered quietly.

The woman nodded patiently.

"How about we start with something you do know? Like your name perhaps?"

"Edward Elric."

She smiled. "Good, now we're getting somewhere. Where are you from?"

He stopped. Where could he say he was from? The other side of the gate? She'd think he's nuts. Where was the place that his father had told him that he was at?

"London," He lied. He looked down, suddenly ashamed of himself. This woman was being so kind to him and he fed her lies. Al wouldn't have done that. He was used to lying but he couldn't help but feel bad for his actions.

"London? I see. Do you have any family in London? A home?"

"No."

"No? No father or mother, a brother or a sister?"

He nodded, not meeting her eye. He felt something inside his heart break. He no longer had a home or family do depend on. Usually he'd be with Alphonse but he wasn't there. He wasn't even sure if Al was alive. And a home? All that was beyond him now.

"Uhh...How long have I been here for?" He asked suddenly.

"About a day and a half." She answered. She started looking strangely at him, narrowing her eyes an inch.

"Your eye color? Is it hereditary in your family?" He looked at her bewildered. Where was he when the conversation was suddenly about his eye color?

He shrugged. "I guess. My...father had them too," He said because 'my bastard of a father' might raise suspicion.

"Hmm. How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"So young." The women mused.

There was silence between them, each to their own thoughts. Edward looked around, trying to calm down his overzealous mind and think rationally. Where would he go from here? Was Hohenheim around? Should he go to him first?

A loud and slow growl interrupted his train of thought.

Ed grinned, embarrassed.

"Hungry? I'll go get something for you." The nurse said, leaving him alone in the room.

The alchemist took a another moment to look at his automail. It's shape was so bad, making him feel incredibly guilty. The only thing he had with him from home and it wasn't even in good shape. Winry would kill him so.

It looked red from rust. The arm guard that was supposed to be shielding the rest of the arm looked as if it had melted into the base. He tried to move his fingers and to his surprise, they

He stared at it. He knew what he was thinking. He could help but think it. It would worth a shot right?

Ignoring the growing doubt in his mind, and his own knowledge of his future failed attempt, he clapped his hands and placed his hand on the rusted arm.

As soon as felt his flesh touched his automail, he closed his eyes shut, waiting. But the moment he felt his automail transform into a different shape, he knew it.

He could use alchemy.

* * *

**Another Author's Note**: As you can see, Ed can use alchemy. My answer to this is: Ed is not in the other side of the Gate which appears on the show but _another _side, an alternative side. Well, I don't give two damns about 'But, that's not canon!' so shove it :D.

This was just a though. I don't know whether I should continue this when I have to finish my other ones. BUT, let it be known that although this is for your reading pleasure, it is above else, my writing pleasure.

**Review?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**: It's not a long chapter I admit but trust me when I say I've been thinking about this fic since I put the first chapter. I have been just ecastic about it. It started off as a thought now I"m actually thinking about continuing this.

I would also like to thank those who reviewed, I appreciate it a lot and it coz of you that I actually wrote this, otherwise it would have just stayed a thought.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or D. Grayman in any way. Trust me -_-

* * *

Golden eyes were wide, set on the metal limb in front of him.

He refused to blink, as if it would suddenly disappear as soon as he closed his eyes.

The shape, the form, the weight. It was all there. The blade was shaped the exact same way it did before. The only difference he could honestly see was the rusting that had appeared before the blade. The balance was still good. His hand was as rusty as the arm but if it was making a fist, it had an actual resemblance to it's past self.

He could perform alchemy. That discovery...it was...it opened so many doors...renewed hope...home...the gate...

There were so many things he could do now, things that he hadn't been able to do the last time he had been on the other side of the gate.

What did that mean? Was he on a different world? Was he on the same one? Was he dead and this was the confusing afterlife? He doubted it. The Truth would never grant him something as merciful as death without making him suffer for his new attempt in human transmutation. So where was he? It did not make sense, or would it until he personally went out and explored this new place.

His train of thought suddenly stopped when he felt a sharp pain erupt from his transmuted arm, or rather the port.

He let a little cry escape from his lips as he doubled over, as a strong pain traveled throughout his body. He had felt pain beyond that before but the slow, aching, pain that traveled through his body felt strangely heavy and slow. Although it had began from his arm's port, where all the nerves were connected to the automail, to his abdomen -the sore muscles did not help- down to his legs. He clenched his teeth as he waited for it to come to an end.

In these situations he had to keep a clear mind, he reminded himself. He could not forget that he was currently in a strange place with no way home, and that he was currently in pain.

If Mustang could see him now...

After a moment, the pain went away. Edward continued to clutch his sore sides. That was uncalled for.

His mind began thinking, what had caused that? Even after the pain had resided, he could still feel the heaviness in which it had come, weighing down on him like thick hot lead. It was a manageable but unwelcome pain.

Was it because of alchemy?

Was that the price he had to pay to transmute?

Even though the last time he had been on that side of the Gate, he couldn't transmute at all, shouldn't he be grateful that he could at least do it at the price of something?

Equivalent Exchange had always been a part of his life. Did he somehow trade something inside his body for the ability to transmute his automail? That would explain the pain but it had gone away, so it mustn't have been something permanent? Was it possible he had traded his own energy to transmute? It would explain the fatigue but...

The distant sound of footsteps nearing the room brought him back to Earth.

He couldn't be seen with a blade in place of his arm.

After quickly debating it, he clapped his hands once more and ran it over his arm.

Blue electricity shone from the transmutation and he gritted his teeth as a familiar pain ran over him.

As he had thought, it was the alchemy.

He forced himself to swallow the pain and relax, in his attempts to hide the pain.

To his relief, it went away faster than the previous time.

The nurse opened the door slowly, and the sound of a small rolling table was heard. He looked over at her, and noticed that she had brought him a generous amount of food. Not only that but it smelled good too.

How long had been since he had eaten?

As soon as the nurse reached him, she set the small table over his bed and quietly excused herself out, not before wishing him a good meal. He looked at her back before she left, was she frowning?

He looked down at the food. He was hungry that was for sure but, he didn't want to eat it. Wonderful food, that was more than likely better than most of the food he had been given in his hospital stays, was goading him. Tempting him. Bring him back to reality, not his reality. His reality where he would sneak out of the hospital as soon as the military stopped breathing down his neck, along with Al, on the fruitless search that took most of his free time. His reality where he could always go back to that little house in which his best friend lived, something that he took completely for granted, something that he will more than likely never see again. His reality, where he hated being the dog of the military but he felt an bit of pride every time he helped someone through his missions. His reality where he would never _truly_ be alone.

Not this reality, where he stuck another side of the Gate, where everything was unfamiliar to him. Not this reality, where there was no where he could really go for comfort and nostalgia that he had grown to miss. Not this reality, where he could not go back to his childhood home and relive all those innocent memories before that happened. Not this reality where he could not laugh and cry and converse with people he cared about and knew. Not this reality that was not his reality.

To be in a different world, such a hard conception to truly understand. To be in a world where nothing he knew had a meaning. Perhaps his logic, but nothing else.

He eyed the food that was so innocently sitting there, asking to be eaten. He really should eat it. He was not fool around, looking the other way when the truth was in front of him. But at that moment, he wished he could. Carefully picking up his fork, he took a small piece of chicken from the plate and placed in his mouth. After another moment's hesitation, he swallowed hard. He doubted the lack of water was the reason why his throat was so dry.

The chicken itself was good, delicious in fact, but he couldn't enjoy it. He doubted he would truly enjoy anything at that moment.

* * *

"Anything suspicious?" Komui asked, putting down his coffee.

The Head Nurse looked morosely at the director, and nodded.

"Apparently he doesn't remember how he got outside. His name is Edward Elric. He told me that he doesn't have a family and he is from London but I sincerely doubt it. He's a child but two of his limbs are prosthetics, metal prosthetics. In bad shape too." She informed.

An eyebrow raised. "Two prosthetics? Metal?"

"Yes. Right arm, left leg."

Komui shifted in his chair, deeply in thought. The circumstances were so strange that he's be a fool to consider it a coincidence. The more he thought about it, the more he regretted letting the boy be attended too but it was too late for regrets. To have two prosthetics…that would mean that either they were amputated or they were lost in an accident. Either way, to lose them in the first pain would be incredibly painful, rare was the person who survived losing two limbs and even rarer were the kind who would go through the pain of prosthetics. And metal prosthetics was a different things altogether. Who would be in the middle of a winter storm with metal prosthetics on? It was unreal.

"Anything else?"

"He is eating at the moment. I have two pieces of advice for you: Speak to him, don't try to intimidate him. Also, get some sleep or I will personally drug you until you learn to sleep your whole nine hours." She warned.

With a slight bow, the woman left.

Komui sighed deeply. He had seen the Finder's golem's recording. The kid literally popped out of nowhere. The energy readings throughout the event was off the charts, unnaturally so. He knew this had to be the work of something else. Perhaps the Earl had sent a spy to infiltrate the Order but this kid…He looked too young to be recruited by the Earl and he was not an Akuma. Had he had any traces of Dark Matter, he would not have been let in the building. Should he just the kid go? Perhaps he was an Innocence wielder? He doubted that, but didn't dismiss it. Perhaps he was just an innocent kid who was dragged in to the snow without a shirt and two metal prosthetics? Again, he doubted that. Then what could he be? A sign? The kid had mentioned that he was from London but he didn't even look European, actually he didn't look like anyone he encountered before. His hair color was not simply blonde, but a more golden shade. He hadn't been able to catch any distinguishing features on the boy's face but he was curious.

Should he ask for Hevlaska's help?

If the boy was free of Dark Matter and Innocence he'd be let go. If he wasn't…

That would be up to him to decide, but the choice were pretty clear. Innocence, kept alive and trained as an Exorcist. Dark Matter, killed on sight.

He sighed. He hated when things were like that but his choices at the moment were limited. The only thing that the boy was giving him was headaches and a guilty pleasure of having an excuse to why he wasn't doing his paperwork.

At least it'll keep him busy until Lenalee and the others returned.

With a goal in mind, he felt relentless guilt wash over him at the thought of another innocent who would lose his innocence for the cause.

* * *

As soon as he was done choking down his food, the nurse came back to the room, greeting him with a small smile.

The alchemist looked around the room, wishing he could just be dismissed and leave the place. He felt as if he were in a hospital, and most of the time when he went to the hospital the only way out was the window but the place had no windows.

Maybe they wanted something in return? Well, that wasn't going to work. He had absolutely nothing worth giving them, not even his silver State Alchemist watch. He was sure that he was not going to reveal his alchemy. The last time he had done that to a majority of people he became a dog of the military, to be used for their goals. Ed was sure he was done with that. He could not take being under anybody's will, to be used at another's pleasure. All he knew is that he wanted to find a way out of that world and back into his. But would he able to?

The nurse walked slowly towards him, almost as if she were analyzing him with a sharp gaze, and slowly sat on the end of his bed. Ed watched quietly, his golden eyes remaining indifferent.

The woman cleared her throat.

"The Head of the Science Department shall see you in a moment. I advice you to be honest. He's not a man you should be afraid of."

She noticed how the small boy slightly tensed at the mention of 'honest'. He was hiding something, she was sure of it. But then again, there wasn't a single person working in the Order that kept things to themselves, how was the boy any different.

She herself could see it. That boy, who was staring so distantly at her, had once suffered. She did not know how much but enough to leave permanent scars on the boy's mind. She did not mean his two metal prosthetic and the deep scarring around them, but the emotions that ran wild beyond his eyes.

They were a beautiful shade, almost like liquid gold. But she could see the weariness that hid behind them, along with that infinite sadness that revolved around it. It was all well hidden, but she was old enough to notice these small things. It was almost as if he were tired of something, something that cause him sadness and pain. Physical wounds held no pain to wounds of the heart.

But that was not all she saw. She saw strength and determination, but those too were fading. It would not be long until they completely collapsed but how long she did not know.

He seemed to be like glass. Sturdy and strong but at the moment, it seemed as if a simple knock could tip the glass over and shatter it completely. How could one so young be so…broken?

A long time had passed since she joined the Order and throughout decades of serving the Order, she saw more death and suffering than anything else. A few she knew had a complete collapse of sanity, and others whom were close had died before they could fall ill as well.

"Is there anything you would like to know?" She asked kindly. He hesitated for a moment, eyes downcast.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the Order's headquarters."

"…"

Apparently he had never heard of the Order. Not many people did.

"The Order is an organization that specializes in different things. Mostly destroying any Akuma who are running wild."

"Akuma?"

"Perhaps you should wait until the Director comes to speak with you, I am not fit to give such information." Seeing the blank look of confusion cross the boy's face was somewhat unexpected. Akuma were generally known around the world and to not know what one was meant that either the boy was incredibly ignorant about his surrounding or he pretended not to know.

"Anything else?" She asked.

More hesitation.

"I really appreciate it that you helped me. I really do. But I have no money or anything to pay you with. I don't even know where my clothes are at. But when can I leave? I don't want to intrude anymore than I already have." He explained sheepishly.

"You don't have to pay. It is no intrusion of your part. The remainder of your clothes have been disposed of, considering their condition. A fresh set of clothes have been brought. I hope they are your size. If you wish to leave, wait until after the bad weather has passed. It is very dangerous, as you experienced first hand with your severe case of hypothermia." She informed dutifully.

Despite being somewhat lost to where he was, he expressed gratitude in one of the few ways he knew.

"Thank you." He said, with a slight bow of his head.

"It was no trouble."

A moment of silence settled in the infirmary.

Both were too engrossed in their own thoughts to really form any kind of conversation.

Ed began thinking again. Where was he to go as soon as he left the place? Search for Hohenheim? How would he even know if he was in this place too? Would he just travel the way he always did and hope to find answers along the way? What was he going to do for money and housing? He was sure that alchemy would have it uses but he didn't want to raise any attention. Only thing attention had ever gotten him was a State Watch and unnecessarily complicated situations. At least the watch was nice.

Despite trying to calm himself down, the insane feeling in his gut did not away. The only thing he knew described it was: Alphonse.

What had happened to him?

His eyes widened as he realized something that he felt stupid for not considering. His flesh hand traveled to his chest and he swallowed hard. He could feel it. What had remained from Envy's attack. He could literally feel the hole that Envy and Dante left in his chest in Envy's way of killing him. That had been the last time that he had heard Alphonse, a soft 'brother' and that was it. Next thing he knew he was alive and Rose informed him of what happened.

He looked at the automail ports and he could see every single scar that the surgery had given him. He searched his stomach for the somewhat deep scar that he had gotten in Lab 5. He gave up on his scar searching, he had already found what he was looking for. That was his original body. This was the body that he supposedly given up for his brother's survival.

His fists clenched with fury. The damned Gate had messed everything up. Why coudn't the thing just let him exchange his body, mind and soul for his brother's? Why was it so keen on keeping alive? Was this the equivalent exchange he had to pay for breaking its rules? All he wanted was for his brother to live. He had given up himself for him, but for some reason he was still alive, in a different place but still alive. What did that mean? That the planned exchange had failed and his brother had not been brought back? That Alphonse had...died?

His chest tightend. He refused to even think that Al had died...not after all that they had been through...not after all that they suffered...not after all that they had done fore each other.

Besides, if the transmutation hadn't worked, then he wouldn't be in a different world. There couldn't have been a rebound if there wasn't a transmutation. Something must have happened for him to end up there. Alchemy worked in strange, but definite, ways. He couldn't lose faith in it now. Too much happened to renounce Equivalent Exchange now.

"Helloooo!"

He raised his head, startled. A strange man stood in the doorway, in the far end of the room.

Ed looked at the man, an eyebrow raised.

The foreboding feeling in his gut did not ease.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yup, not long. As you could all tell, Ed is like really confused. Hell, I'm confused too. :D

I did not like this chapter very much cause it was mostly thinking. I'm still kinda debating about this story. It has a large chance of stopping because of lack of time and patience but *shrugs* your choice.

I'd like some feedback and comments, even suggestions if you'd like. They will all be taken into consideration. Trust me. I take people's comments personally unless they're one lined, repetetive and negative.

Review?


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Anybody notice how the chapter was incomplete? I didn't until I looked at it. I apologize. You have no idea how many times I had to rewrite it because it didn't save the first time. No idea. So here's the COMPLETE one :D

_**Disclaimer**_: I really don't own D. Grayman or Fullmetal Alchemist.

* * *

The first impression that Ed had of the Supervisor was:

He was a loud, annoying, nosy idiot.

Who comes into a room with one of the loudest and longest hello he had ever heard in his life?

Apparently, Supervisor Komui and his silly hat did.

Who just came up to your bed and began to babble on about how the weather was really cold and somehow that polite conversation gets turned into an interrogation?

"So, may I ask how you ended up outside our beloved headquarters?" Asked the man.

Ed almost banged his head on the wall.

"I don't know," was his quiet answer.

"Hmm, you don't know?"-Did Komui have to sound so much like Mustang?- "Well, where do you live?"

Edward couldn't meet his eyes and looked away.

"I don't have a home."

There was an uncomfortable shift in the bed but Edward didn't bother to look up. He could practically feel the man looking at him from behind his glasses. He could feel it to. Pity.

"I see. Well what do you do for a living?"

What did he do? Even in Amestris he never really had a job. Well, he was in the military and he did do some of the things they sent him to do but that was it. Well, he traveled.

"Actually, I'm a traveler."

"A traveler? Where have you visited? With who?"

Damn. Where? The only place of that world that he knew -and not even knew if it was really there at that point- was London. How was he supposed to know where he traveled?

In an attempt to draw attention away from the first question, he lightly answered the second. "My brother."

"Hmm. Where is your brother now?"

Damned guy with his damned questions. When the hell had he signed up for an interrogation?

"I don't know."

Was the answer the reason he was biting his lip so hard? What was so hard about mentioning his brother now? He slowly unclenched his hands, that were previously wrapping the white bedsheets in a fierce grip, and let out a sigh.

"If I may ask, is he simply lost or is he...?" The man didn't even finished but Ed got the message. If there was anything sadder -or more annoying- than being in an interrogation, it was being in an interrogation in which you simply did not know the answers to.

But Al wasn't dead. At least not to him.

"It's...complicated." Was the only thing that escaped his lips.

Suddenly he felt a large weight shift and raised his head to see the scientist lay on his stomach -on his bed, he noted bitterly- with an amused look on his face.

The man looked up to him -which made Ed stiffen- with a big smile and gave him a thumbs up.

"I have time." Komui announced cheerfully.

This was the time when he began to think of a few things. That man was a stranger. A stranger that saved his life but nevertheless a stranger. He did not know this man and he knew nothing of where he was currently being held. A manipulative portion of his mind wanted to gain the man's trust and along the way, help to get out, but another portion of his mind -that had been with him longer by far- was telling him to stay alert and keep things to himself.

He took a deep breath and felt another headache coming. He felt as if he were about to face another serious dilemma. He didn't even know this person and those narrowed dark eyes were already staring at him as if they were to decide whether what he told him was false or true. He didn't want to tell him anything though. What was the point of that? Earn the guy's pity and understanding so he could just walk out of that place and go on his way? He didn't even know where he would start his search, or what he was going to search in the first place so he would be able to go home. He didn't know what that would would have in store for him.

"I apologize, but that's personal," He told the man.

The effect was immediate. The man's face fell, a frown adoring his features. What bothered Ed was the look the man had in his eyes. It was as if were regretting something, and some disappointment. Almost as if his answer was expected but not wanted. It...unsettled him.

"Supervisor."

A voice came from the entrance of the small hospital. It was young man, wearing a white coat over a simple shirt with large glasses, came in, in his hands was a small bundle.

"I have the clothes that I was sent to get. I couldn't find a small shirt, so I borrowed one from Allen -I'll make him a new one later-, and it was really hard to fix the pants so they got thrown away -I'm really sorry about that by the way, it was the nurse's decision-. The boots were in horrid condition, so I found some black ones in the same size..." The guy ranted on and on, showing them the clothes he was able to find and fix.

A vein popped in Edward's forehead as he tried to keep his temper in check -Who are you calling a shorty so small he could lost in a small shirt? Get near me you ass! I dare you! Get near this shorty so I could kick your ass Jerk!- and properly thank the man but it was almost impossible for him to crack a smile so he just nodded and mutter a quick thanks. At least the clothes looked his size.

He grabbed the clothes and raised an eyebrow when the Supervisor did not grant him his privacy.

"Umm, do you mind?" Ed asked, his hands already at the rim of the gown. Almost as if a trance, he blinked and muttered a quick 'sorry' and then said "Meet me outside after you're done."

As soon as the door clicked, he was already putting on the black pair of slacks he was given. In record time, he was already pulling on his boots, fully dressed. There was no word other than hatred that could describe his feelings for those damned hospital gowns he had to wear on his -forced- hospital stays.

Feeling bold for having something on that did not make him look like an idiot, he took a steady step forward from his position. What he did not expect was to completely topple on the ground when his leg refused to support the rest of his body.

He felt a sudden pain rise from his flesh leg, where his knee had met the ground. He could ignore it well enough, but what had him feeling worried was the horrible creaking sound that came from the mechanical joints of the automail when he had taken that first step. He pulled up the pants leg and looked down on the leg.

It was even worse than his arm automail. After the had done that first transmutation, his arm regained more of its normal shape, but he had never transmuted his automail leg. The knee part of it was a mixture of red and black from rusting. The more straight side of his automail was simply black. He felt it with his fingers softly, fearing that it might break under the soft pressure. He pulled his pants even higher, trying to see the condition of the most important part of most automail: The ports. His heart almost sang when he saw the familiar shape of it. It looked a little rusty, but in good condition. The skin around it was somewhat red but that was to be expected from being found surrounded in snow. Heat damage to the automail always affected the skin around it, and it took a while for it to recover. Or at least that's what Winry had told him.

But what he was going to do do about the automail leg in general? It was messed up. Should he attempt to fix it with his alchemy? Reconstruct the rusted metal to its original form and quality. It would be more dangerous than transmuting his arm. He did not know exactly how the nerves would respond to having its shape changed. His automail leg and arm had many similarities but many differences. Winry had made sure she drilled that into his brain. When he transmuted his arm, he simply changed the shape of the metal shell, but he wasn't sure exactly how the leg was. And if he wasn't exact about what he was going to do, surely a mistake would destroy the legs mechanisms.

But what other choice did he have? It wasn't like he was going to just walk with one foot, while trying to stay balanced with the added weight of the useless foot?

He clapped his hands and laid them gently on the worn metal. Blue lights and the same pain began again. Trying so salvage as much of the useful metal, he tried to only change the outer shell, not even planning on trying to change the nerves or the tube thing that Winry told him never to mess up.

It was funny really, the way he never listened to Winry, especially when she nagged and went on about automail, but the way his brain could recall almost every conversation he had with her.

If only she could see her precious automail now...He'd have the beating of his lifetime.

He wondered, as the pain slowly resided, who would Winry have her fun with if he was no longer there? Even though his mind doubted it, his heart stubbornly thought of Al. Alphonse and Winry had always gotten along with each other better than Winry with him. They were always fighting with each other, he mused bitterly. Funny how death made you think of all those things that you had never given a second thought about.

He really was selfish.

Even after she gave him the ability to move on two strong legs and two strong arms, all he could think about was Al and the pain he was going through. As soon as he got back home, he was going to make sure Winry knew how grateful he really was.

Opening his eyes slowly, he was the transmutation's result. It was okay, not as good as the arm but it would have to do. He knew that automail had to be balanced and it was made specifically to match the body and whatnot but he had no idea how they did it. Alchemy was his strong point, not engineering.

Getting up slowly, he walked a few steps before he was satisfied with the results. It made him limp a bit, mostly the damaged skin around the ports, but it would get better in time (or so he hoped).

* * *

"So...where are we going?" Ed asked, looking around the place. The walls were a dark, murky color -which, in all honesty, depressed him- and seemed to be made up of a large amount of halls and staircases, each with a different path. He felt as if the lights weren't bright enough and the place wasn't small enough. What about that foreboding feeling in his gut? It was back.

He followed the man, making sure to stay at least two feet behind him. The nurse was right. The man wasn't someone to fear, but that only eased him a bit.

"Well, my dear Edward, we are going to give you a check-over. After all, you were just found outside, in the snow where all the bad viruses and colds could be found. Hypothermia was one thing, now we have to make sure you stay healthy!" Komui finished, a mad crackle escaping from his mouth.

Edward could already tell that the man was in the middle of a lie and the truth. Why would he want to check-over his health when he had already caught a fatal sickness and survived? Besides, the nurse had already cleared him. Why would he care in the first place? The man was a supervisor. He was supposed to be supervising or something? Why worry so much about a kid that they recently found?

"Look, Komui"-He was never one for formalities-, "I'm grateful. And I really appreciate what you did for me, but I...have things to do. And I really need to get going. Besid-"

"And tell me, what do you need to do that you can't wait a few moments for a small check-up?" The supervisor stopped walking and looked at him seriously. "Unless you're hiding something?"

The alchemist rolled his eyes at the man's dramatic statement.

"If I was hiding something, you would have found it the moment I was brought into this place. It's not like I'm hiding a bomb. I just can't waste time. I have things to do."

The man's over-dramatic frown broke into a grin before letting out a long laugh.

"Well, aren't you busy? You seem pretty busy for a small gu-"

"Who the hell are you calling so small he can be crushed like a tick, that can't be seen in the most advanced microscopes?" Ed all but yelled. He fumed, glaring at the Supervisor as if looks could kill. He did not even realize that he didn't make much sense.

"I'm calling you small because you are short. Look me in the eyes -oh wait, you can't reach, shall I go on my knees?-"

A few minutes later, when Edward had stopped practically calling him every insult in the book -he did admit he learned a few-, Komui returned to his side.

He patted the boy in the head, which seemed to just get even angrier, and gave a small laugh.

"Oh, you're so adorable. I'm joking. Don't take it too personally. I have a younger sister and when she was young, she used to gave the same tantrums that you do. Well, when she was waaay younger."

Did this man want to be murdered in cold blood? Ed thought. Apparently, he -too- was an older brother.

"Oh, you should see her. She's as beautiful as the moon. Wait, nevermind, you shouldn't see her. You aren't worthy enough to see the beauty that is my sister."

Edward rolled his eyes again. Every time that man opened his mouth, he lost respect for him. He even felt bad for the man's sister. Talk about a devoted brother.

"So, may I ask another personal question?"

This guy saved you, he thought to himself when he wanted to deny the man's request.

"Depends."

"Well, I couldn't help but notice your prosthetics earlier today. Loosing an arm and a leg, must've been painful. Getting them must have been even worse. Can I ask how it happened?"

Would it hurt to hell him the truth? Ed had never been one for lies but he never hesitated to lie if it came down to.

"I had an accident when I was eleven and as a result lost my arm and leg. I survived so my friend fitted me with automail." It wasn't like he was going to describe in detail what had happened, how it happened and why it happened but he gave the man the basics.

"Automail?"

"Yeah. That's what these prosthetics are called." He pulled his sleeve up and showed the man the rest of the arm, in all its rusty glory. "See? Steel. A bit damaged but you won't see anything like them anywhere."

Komui took a long look at the automail, an interested look on his face. After examining almost every inch of the automail, even tapping the protective plates a little, he slowly withdrew.

"How much can you move your arm?"

Ed flexed his arm just like he would every time he was fitted with new automail and moved the fingers.

"Amazing," Komui remarked, a mysterious glint in his eyes. "I would sure love to take it apart." Out of nowhere, he pulled out the largest screwdriver that Ed had ever seen in his life, and he had lived with Winry so he knew, and to save himself the trouble, he simply turned his back to the man.

"Hell no."

"I see." Returning to his professional voice, Komui went back to his previous questions. "And you said your friend made it?"

"Yup," responded Edward, pride evident in his voice. "She was the best at automail. She even made me some in three days. With Granny's help but still, for being 14, that's pretty good. Not just anyone could do that."

The scientist took a moment to leer at the look in the younger man's face, whose praise and pride for his mechanic spoke in volumes.

"You seduced your mechanic?" He giggled, a hand over his mouth.

Blushing madly, the boy began to reject this but that only served to provoke Komui, who kept giggling.

"She's a childhood friend."

"If you say so."

Fuming angrily, the alchemist kept walking forward, muttering curses in every color of the rainbow, before asking, "Are we there yet? I want to get this over with."

"So, before he get off topic again, how did you end up here? The truth, if you please."

Edward raised his eyebrow at the words and took a deep breath.

"Honestly, I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I don't know."

The staring contest lasted for a few moments before the scientist and the alchemist looked away.

"What was the last thing you remember? I assume it is something about your travels and your search for your brother, am I wrong?"

It was funny. He had only known this man for only a few minutes -which felt like hours, by the way- and he had already lost his temper twice and acted more personal than he had the whole time he was there. He decided to feed the man's curiosity with the truth, just to see what would happen. If anything, the man was going to conclude that he was crazy and hopefully kick him out so he could continue his quest.

"Well, my brother died saving me and I tried to bring him back. Can't remember how I got here though."

The moment he finished that statement, the atmosphere completely changed. The man stopped walking and slowly -dramatically so, if he might add- looked at him, his face serious. It was weird to see the man wearing that expression on his face, and all he could think was that it didn't suit him.

"You tried to bring your brother back from the dead?"

Attentive and serious, the alchemist nodded. Was trying to bring people back from the death looked down upon in this world too? He didn't blame them, but he knew what it was like loosing someone and understood the pain and the want to bring their loved one back to life.

"Did it work?" Komui was staring at him, as if looking for something that was hidden in his face.

"Well, I don't know. I woke up here." This was the part where the man thought he was nuts and kicked him out but that wasn't happening.

"Tell me Edward, how did you do it?"

Was he really going to say alchemy? He knew better than to mention it to people his didn't know.

"I'm afraid I can't say."

"Why?"

When the boy wouldn't meet his look, Komui sighed. His suspicions of the boy, which had grown smaller and smaller, immediately rose but he could not help but hope that the Millennium Earl had nothing to do with it. It was not his wish to have to eliminate a boy who had only tried to bring his brother back to life.

"Edward, I hope you can understand. Bringing people back...It doesn't work. The dead shouldn't be brought back..." He hated breaking it to the boy, but why fuel such hopeless causes? Besides, he didn't seem like the kind to waste time. Actually, quite the contrary, he was more interested in leaving and going back to whatever he was doing. But still, to try to bring back the death?

"I know, but I can hope, right?"

Komui looked at him, surprised.

"You say it like you had expected it to work."

As clueless as the Order thought him sometimes, Komui was very observant. He did not miss the clenched fists, nor the stiffened back.

"Like I said, I could hope."

Now was the time.

"Did someone help you?"

Ed stopped walking and looked up at him, his golden eyes narrowed in disbelief, an eyebrow raised.

"No."

Komui stayed quiet. Apparently, he didn't have any help. If he simply told him how he tried to bring his brother back, then he wouldn't be having this problem. Could it be that he could be an akuma? No likely, considering that he was let in with no problems. But the only method he could think of that people have tried to bring back those who who have died -despite not working- was making that deal with the Earl. But his _eyes. _They weren't a normal color. They were the same color the Noah's had. Coincidence?

Well, his worries would be over as soon as Hvelaska checked over the boy.

They walked in silence for a few moments, neither looking nor speaking to each other. The walls and halls passed and new ones arose.

The alchemist took every turn and twist into mind. It seemed as if the entire building was one large cylinder, the way the halls were more circular than anything. It was like walking through on tall staircase. The walls were dark, but some were decorated. More than once, he had a seen a strange symbol or cross standing boldly on the wall. It was the same symbol that Komui had on his white uniform. He was tempted to ask about, but decided against it. He was in no mood to ask about anything.

Once they were about halfway towards the high ceiling, Komui motioned him into a large, triangle-shaped platform. The moment he saw how far up they were, he would've immediately jumped the hell off had Komui not clicked some button, making it slowly descend on the never-ending ground.

Practically hanging one of the steel bars for dear life, he fumed.

"I thought you said I was going to get a check-up," Ed said, glaring at the older man. Komui slowly lifted his glasses, and suddenly grinned.

"You are."

The atmosphere suddenly went cold -literally- as they descended deeper and deeper into the ground.

The platform came to a stop, and Ed felt his stomach drop. He was creeped out, that was obvious. It was eerily silent, except for the constant whispering that he could hear from above. The darkness didn't help ease his worries. The aura of the place felt heavily cold, and the icy pressure that the place was giving off made his shoulder itchy.

He looked around, trying to find the source of the small, dulling bright light that was being reflected off the walls.

He looked down and there was what he was looking for.

There was a large mass of translucent light, in a the shape of something that he could not describe. What amazed him the most was the fact that whatever it was, it was moving, and towards them nevertheless.

"Please do not panic. It's Hevlaska."

Edward forced himself to stay still and watched as a large thing, slowly move up to meet with them.

He _did_ panic, however, when suddenly he felt himself get picked up, right off the platform, by what looked like tentacles. His instincts immediately kicked in and he tried to kick himself off the things, but it's hold around his arms prevented much from happening.

"Let go!"

Trying to liberate himself from its hold, he squeezed his arms out of it and clapped.

Blue electricity shone in contrast of the silvery light and almost complete darkness. The moment he placed his hands on it and finished the transmutation, he knew something was wrong. Something went wrong. He could feel it.

The transmutation had left him completely drained. Not in the 'I-just-finished-working-out', not the 'I-just-recovered-at-the-hospital' drained either. It was something different. He felt himself become limp as whatever enabled him to move was suddenly taken. He had felt it before, numerous times, but never to that extent. The closest he could describe it was the Labratory Five incident when he was exposed to the red liquid.

After that was the transmutation pain, heavy and more evident than before.

The first thing was the only success. It let go of him, and he felt the cold air pass by him as he was on his way to meet the eventual ground. It wasn't much of a success because soon after he fell, he felt the familiar tentacles wrap around his waist, and slowly raise him.

Ed could faintly hear Komui exclaim something and then a soft reply from Hevlaska -he assumed that was the name of that thing-. He felt as if eternity was passing by him as he looked down, the same spot -his inability to even shift his body, limiting his vision of view. There was something shining at the base of Hevlaska, something bright compared to the rest of the greenish glows.

_It_ was humming. He could hear it clearly.

Vaguely, he could hear Komui and Hevlaska but he paid them no mind, his mind completely engrossed on the _thing_. _It_ was calling out to him, he was sure of it.

Its bright color stood out against the black dots appearing at the edges of his vision. Was it him or was _it_ getting bigger? It was either that, or it was getting closer.

The humming grew louder, completely filling his ears. _It_ sounded melancholy, dark and..._enthralling_. He didn't dare take his eyes off it.

He wanted to touch _it_. He could already feel _its_ warmth on the flesh of his face.

His flesh arm reached out _slowly_, his muscles and nerves protesting. His automail arm was much too heavy for him to even attempt to raise it.

_It_ was right in front of him, tempting him with _its_ mysterious shape and color. All he had to do was reach out a little more...

His fingertips brushed lightly against _it_, filling him with a strange sensation. Something he had never fel-

His golden eyes widened as his breath caught inside his throat.

There was only white and there stood the towering, bold Gate.

The Gate? If it was there, then...

As he reached the final conclusion, a grin appeared on the Truth's face as it was suddenly before him.

The moment Ed processed it, his mind began going on overload. _Where am I? What happened to Al? Is he alive? What happened to him? Why am I here? Is he alive?_

There was only one problem. His body did not want to respond. Nothing went past his lips. He watched helpless as the Truth grinned, amused by his inability.

Ed started to panic internally. What's going on? His mind was always quick to adapt, but, at the moment, he didn't know what to do.

The feeling intensified when the Truth began to move its mouth. It was speaking. It was speaking and he couldn't hear a single thing.

_No_! He couldn't call out.

The Truth gave one last smirk before...

...An explosion of images appeared in his mind. Flashes of visions began coming and leaving, too fast for him to comprehend what they were. They felt familiar, but entirely different. He didn't have time to ponder.

The Truth gave him something. Something was going to be taken. What though? He hadn't agreed to anything.

Then again, he never did.

He blinked. He was laid down on his side, his fingers outstretched, warmth coming from it.

_What_?

He didn't even have a moment to think.

The moment he realized what happened, Ed opened his eyes, his mouth slightly open.

He only felt on thing, one thing before his vision blurred, leaving surrounded by darkness.

_Pain_. Pure _pain_,

His mouth remained open. He did the only thing he could. The only thing his body allowed him to do.

He _screamed_.

* * *

**Author's Note:**Ed's thinking is hard to explain at the end but for the most part, Ed's thinking is going to change a little. You guys remember in Conqueror of Shambala, how he talked to Noah and he was all like:

" . . .it seems that's the price I had to pay. or maybe not. maybe this is the hell I have been allotted for trying the forbidden again. . . .or who knows. what is and isn't science. or maybe this whole world's just a dream," And he said it pretty casually too. Can you imagine how long it took him to reach that conclusion when his mind is constantly looking for answers?

That's all I have to say about that.

This is the chapter where I am going to ask for reviews. I know, I don't do the whole 'no reviews no chapter' thing but I do want feedback on this chapter. It was pretty confusing in the end but, cut story short, he touched innocence, and saw the Gate and the Truth and then went back.

The simple sentences and the repetitive wording? It was on purpose so yeahh :D

**_Review_**?


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note**: It took a while to write this for two reasons. Life and because the last chapter of D. Gray-Man killed me. I couldn't write anything cause of that. Then the new one came out and it was slightly better I guess.

**Disclaimer**_**:**_ I do not own anything.

* * *

What was going on?

He thought the kid was going to keep a cool head, and after the warning he had given him, he wouldn't react that bad to Hevlaska. But that was not the case.

The moment the boy's feet left the ground, he immediately panicked. It would have been fine if he had just calmed down but nothing went as he hoped.

He thought that Edward was going to calm down eventually and he'd be able to explain what he was doing -it wasn't like the common kicking and screaming was going to hurt Hevlaska- but only seconds after being picked up, he did something Komui had never seen in his life.

He clapped his hands.

A strange energy reaction erupted from the contact between the boy and Hevlaska. A reaction that he neither expected nor understood. Something happened, he was sure of it. Komui could feel the atmosphere growing thick.

Hevlaska flinched violently, surprising Komui greatly, and the boy broke from her grasp. Her glowing body reached out for him before he reached the ground. Edward was no longer moving. For a moment, Komui feared he was dead but when she brought him up to a higher level, he was able to see his open eyes. But he didn't even look conscious. His face was set in an impassive gaze, as if he could hear, see or feel anything around him.

"Edward!" He called out, but received no answer.

"Is he...?"

"He's alive. It's likely that his body went into shock after that..." Hevlaska stopped, not knowing how to explain what had just happened.

"What was that?" He asked, holding on to the rails of the platform while Hevlaska examined the boy with the best of her abilities.

"I do not know. It is unlike anything I have ever seen. It...hurt."

After she didn't respond, he looked as the boy closely and noticed something that he had not seen before. There was a strange green glow at the edge of the his eyes. He looked at the source of Ed's reflection. At the base of Hevlaska, there was a single light standing out among all the other glows. Was it...?

"He's okay. He is devoid of Dark Matter and Innocence. But he does not feel like any other human. Actually, he is unlike anyone I've met in my long life. He is without a doubt a human but there is something about him that is odd. I cannot place it."

A sigh of relief escaped Komui but he could not stop staring at the Innocence.

"Hevlaska. The Innocence -at the bottom-, what's happening?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh my," Her head went lower and, with her body, touched the Innocence lightly. "It is most unusual."

"What is?"

Could it be that...

"The Innocence is reacting to his presence."

"Is he an accomodator?"

"That is what puzzles me. Undoubtedly, it is drawn to him but at the same time, it is being repelled by an unknown force."

"Meaning?"

"It is trying to synchronize with him but it seems to be having trouble."

Komui bit his lip as he tried to process the information. After seeing him attack Hevlaska, he could have assumed that he already had some kind of Innocence or Dark Matter with him. But the fact he was able to do that, and not have anything helping him was amazing. How though? And then an Innocence shard wants to synchronize with him? Although his heart sank at the thought of another exorcist, he could not keep from thinking of the Innocence. How could it be repelled? By what? The boy was practically unconscious, how was he supposed to keep the it from synchronizing with him? It wasn't a matter of whether he wanted it to synchronize with him, Innocence wasn't known for asking permission, but what was keeping it from happening? What was powerful enough to keep Innocence at bay? Hevlaska said he was devoid of dark matter so what could it be?

His eyes bulged as he saw that the small glow was moving closer and closer to the boy.

"Komui, we must act fast. I must tell you, this particular Innocence shard is not like the others. It was retrieved by Froi Tiedoll but part of it had already been destroyed in his battle with a Noah. It is very...aggressive. We do not know what the side affects of having an incomplete shard could do to him. There has never been a case like this. Should we let i-"

She was interrupted by a sight that boy, the boy that had caused her to feel pain for the first time in years, move. He moved very slowly, his face still as expressionless as ever, and Komui noted his arm began moving from its immobile state.

"Edward!" He exclaimed, trying to get some kind of reaction out of him, trying to bring him out of his unresponsive state. Nothing.

When the boy's arm finally moves to a point where he is practically touching the slowly approaching Innocence, Komui had had enough. He had to act.

"Komui, at this point, it's going to synchronize with him. Should we let it? He could become a great asset to the Order against the war with the Millennium Earl. He coul-"

"With all due respect, isn't it his choice whether he would jo in the Order, or even synchronize with Innocence? He should be allowed to decide this. We can't just ruin another life at the cost of the war." Komui argued. Edward had the right to choose whether or not he wanted to join their fight against the Earl. He deserved to know that the Innocence that was about to synchronize with had the power to save lives and potentially kill him in the process. It was a life commitment that he had the right. Not like Lenalee that was forced to join, against her will.

"Many lives will be lost in this war but many more lives could be saved by him. We could not afford to lose this war. Every single asset and person matters."

"It should be his choice." Komui all but whispered. Hevelaska took a deep breath.

"Most exorcists didn't. It is the will of God." She looked away from him and her sight went back to the boy. "Besides, it doesn't look like it matter anymore."

At her words, he immediately looked down, where, between the boy and the Innocence, a large light shone.

"Hevlasaka!" He looked at her for an explanation.

"They're synchronizing."

"But how?" Komui bit his lower lips in anticipation. He had never seen a synchronization like that before. Every time Lenalee got her Innocence checked, her Dark boots were checked with a touch, but her Innocence was Equiment-Type and could be removed. Never had he seen Innocence synchronized with a body like that. What did that mean?

A long moment went by in silence, as Hevlaska and Komui watched and waited for whatever was happening to happen. The tense and thick atmosphere was hard to dismiss as the light kept shining on, with no signs of extinguishing.

Komui watched on, extreme guilt coming over him. He shouldn't be letting happen. He should have asked Edward first. He should have let the boy go when he wanted to. He should have just let him walk out of there, to do whatever he wanted to do. Not watching as Innocence slowly synchronized with him. Not after knowing what it had done to his sister's life. Not after all the pain it caused most of its hosts. He was practically signing the boy's death sentence for him. He should be trying to stop this.

And when the light began dulling and taking a more physical form, he knew he had reason to feel guilty.

A white metal-like shape began to form where the tips of the boy's fingers touched it. It moved slowly along his arm, like a snake strangling its prey, and then to his shoulders before traveling down on his body. Almost as if on a trance, the boy remained immobile, just laying on Hevlaska's body. His eyes, which were filled with life just a few minutes ago, looked dead and sad, his small face set on a downward gaze, looking at nothing and feeling nothing but sadness. The bright material just kept moving about his body, not stopping for a single moment. But then, with a quick strike, it buried itself onto his right arm.

That was when the chaos started.

After a moment of silence, a loud painful scream erupted from the boy's mouth, alarming both of the witnesses. And then another one followed, and then another.

_

* * *

_

"Brother hasn't been dead for long. Look, there's still some color in his face. His soul is probably still at the Gate. I just have to pull it back, the same way he did to me."

_"Don't be a fool. You know what would happen to you."_

_"Yeah I do. A lot of people died to make this stone and I would have died too if not for them. And it's time I gave my share and made my own choice." _

_"Alphonse."_

_"Goodbye Rose. This is for you brother."_

_"I'll miss you." _

* * *

He rubbed his temples as he sat on his desk, his ear bruised from the punishment that the Head Nurse had given him. He still couldn't get the boy's face out of his mind.

After he had finally been able to get a medical unit to come down and get the kid, his constant thrashing and screaming made them all tense and wary. He had sworn them all to confidentiality, otherwise Central would find out and then everything would go from bad to worse. Like they would have to. After all the screaming the kid did, he would be surprised if the whole Order didn't find out.

He could remember everything they tried to do to calm him down but nothing worked. He was heavily sedated and sent to an isolated room opposite to the medical department. He wondered how long it would be until he came to._ Not long enough_, he thought.

So it was official. Everything he hoped would not happen, happened. The boy was now an Accomidator for Innocence. He couldn't identify what type it was but it looked painful. He came in with a case of hypothermia and is now strapped to a bed, racked with fever and fits, sedated in an isolated room. Maybe it would have been better if he had just died a fast death in the snow. He wouldn't have to go through what was coming.

The clapping thing was annoying him, stressing his brilliant mind. Had he not known that he was devoid of Innocence and Dark Matter, that would have been his answer. But now, all he could think about was how he was supposed to deal with this.

What made him even think that he was going to join? He knew little about Edward. The boy had a temper, a younger brother, a dead younger brother, liked to travel, no home, nice hair -but not as good as his sister-, from London -though he doubted this- and he was sixteen years old.

He was not normal considering he came from an energy blast outside of the Order, with two automail limbs, two golden eyes that resembled too much of that Noah, and an ability he did not know about. And now he was on the road to becoming the Order's tool, like all the other exorcists.

Out of all this, how could he expect to go up to him and say: 'Guess what? You now possess Innocence and our organization requires you to join and put your life on the line for God.'

He couldn't concentrate. He was tired. Too much had happened for him to be sitting around, trying to find an answer. His eyes were closing. Too much was happening for him to sleep. Too many lives depended on his decisions. Too many things were counting on him. And he didn't even want to think about his paperwork.

He needed coffee.

"Supervisor..." A sound manifested from the black golem that was floating around the room. With a yawn, he got up from his chair.

Before he could reply however, he heard another message come in.

"The exorcists have returned."

_

* * *

_

_"Brother, are you hurt?"_

* * *

_"Since I no longer have a mortal shell, I can't feel the terror you felt, thinking you were going to die, I'm sure it must've been painful and lonely. I want my body back Brother. I want to be able to feel what you felt. To feel human again."_

_

* * *

_

_Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth._

* * *

His brother's words rang in his head. Where was he? Was he alive? Was he lonely? Was he in pain?

It had been an equal trade, right? His life for his brother's?

What if his life hadn't been enough? What if his life hadn't been enough and his brother had died?_._

It was his life for his brother's.

Then why the hell was he still alive?

Why wasn't he in hell? Or heaven? Or wherever the hell he was supposed to go after he died? Why was he breathing while his brother's fate was unknown?

How could he?

What kind of a brother did that? Live and breath, while his brother could not do the same?

He could feel his own breathing, his chest moving up and down while his heart thumped and thumped, each beat keeping him alive. He could hear it slightly.

But why did he feel so numb?

It was a horrible feeling.

Was this how Alphonse felt? Was this what his mistake cost his brother?

His humanity? Unable to feel anger, joy, sadness, happiness? Unable to feel what made a person human?

Is that what drove him at one point to consider himself something made up? Something unreal?

Why had he damned his brother to such a feeling? What the hell was he thinking? What was going through his mind? What w-

A loud _crack_. He had heard something. He was sure of it.

He blinked. Still dark.

His hands moved to his eyes, feeling the thick cloth surrounding his eyes.

Feeling.

Now attentive, he moved his hands back to his sides, feeling the warm blanket that was covering him.

"Lenalee, be careful."

He was, without a doubt, sure he heard someone speak. The voice was familiar. Was it the same lady that talked to him when he had just gotten there?

Gotten where?

Oh right, the Order or what they called it.

Something soft and warm enveloped his hands. They felt like _her _hands.

"Can you hear me?"

Was she speaking to him? It was a different voice. It had a higher pitch and softer.

Was she speaking to him though? Should he speak? Could he?

"Me?" Was that his voice? It was a lot rougher than he expected it to be? Had he gone through puberty? Did that mean he was a couple of inches taller, cause if it did then-

"Yes you!"

He felt something move the bed. Was someone sitting down? He tugged at the cloth surrounding his eyes. He was getting frustrated.

"Need some help with that?" The voice was more cheerful and softer than before. He felt the small hands around his head and slowly the weight of the bandages decreased until he felt nothing more around his eyes. It was still dark.

"Open your eyes, silly." He did so.

Disappointed at the lack of colors and shape, he turned to the side. His fingers went to his eyes. He felt the round shape of his eyes. It was open. But why couldn't he see?

"Can you see?" Asked the old lady. He licked his dry lips.

"N-No."

"I see." He felt something wrapping his eyes again. "We'll just have to keep those covered for a while. Your vision will come back, just wait a little. Your senses are a little shocked but they'll all return. No need to worry."

That was relief. His mouth was so dry and raspy. A strong longing for water overcame him. His stomach growled. Was he hungry?

He tried to stretch. His back felt so tense and his shoulders weren't faring so well either. He would have too, had his automail arm moved along with the other. He tried to move it again with the same results. It refused to move. Using his other arm, he tried to lift it up but it wouldn't even budge. What was going on with is arm?

More than a little tired, he sat his other arm back at his side.

"Are you hungry?" At the moment, he loved that lady. Nodding in a positive, he looked down, not really knowing where to look.

"I'll bring you something. Lenalee. Make sure nothing happens. It'll be a second."

The door closed with a crack.

Silence.

"So you're Edward? I'm Lenalee." The girl said introducing herself.

"How'd you know? Nice to meet you."

"My brother told me about you. He's the one with the funny hat." Oh. That explained some.

"You're that headcase's sister?"

She laughed light. "Yes. Apparently you met him while I was away. Sorry if he did anything weird. He's like that."

"Eh. He's lucky he still has his face intact. Making fun of people. They should have him arrested for that crap." A bitter smile formed on his lips.

"He's my brother. I have to accept him the way he is. Besides, he's not that bad. He...just takes time to get used to."

"So, where are you from?" She asked.

"Me? From London." He wished he could just leave the place to find out if London actually existed.

"London? That's pretty close from here. Lucky! I was born in China, it so far away from here." Was that bitterness in her light voice?

"China?"

"Yeah. It's in Middle Asia." Funny, they were filling him up with information that he had no clue about. Well, he had to start somewhere.

"Was it nice there?"

Hesitation. "Well, I guess. I can't really remember but I liked it. There were a lot trees. Komui could tell you more in detail. I grew up here in the Order. I can't really tell you much about it."

Why did she sound so sad? It wasn't like she was crying or anything but the resignation in her voice when she spoke about it depressed him.

"What about you? Do you remember where you grew up?"

"I kinda grew up in a place called Risembool. It was quiet there. Kind of boring actually. It was mostly country. There were a few woods there but mostly it was clear. There were a lot of rivers and trees. My mom used to have her own garden. Well, everyone did but her's were the best. The fruit ripened nicely. Granny Pinako, well she's not really my grandmother but she's my close friend's, she would always have amazing food ready for dinner. I kind of miss it actually. Kind of."

He wondered what were they doing at the moment. Would they be mourning his death? Would they be mourning Al's? How many died in those last few days? Maybe even Mustang died. He mentally shook his head, he doubted that bastard would've been done in. Winry would be mad though. He wondered if Rose took Wrath to the surface. He would be in need of automail after losing his arm and leg. Wasn't that ironic?

"Your mother? Is she a kind woman?" He almost laughed. Anyone who knew his mom would never asked that. Hell, her kindness was probably legendary in Risembool. All of the other woman were prone to moody, violent attacks.

"Is? No. Was. She was a kind person. A few years ago she got sick and died. What about your parents?"

"Well, they're dead. I can't really remember how though. I was really young when it happened."

"I'm sorry." He could never imagine what his life would have been like without his mother. His father gone? Yes, he coped but his mother? His lost arm and leg were his signs of coping.

"Don't be. Komui was there for me my entire life. He's always made sure I was taken care of. I can't tell you the number of times he tried to cook and completely failed at it. One time, when I was younger, he dressed as a Chinese princess because he though I needed more feminine role models. And he gone shopping with me more times then I can count, I think he gets more excited than me sometimes. He might be a bit extreme sometimes but he's sweet. I couldn't have asked for anything more."

"He sounds...like a good older brother." Actually, if he wasn't so pissed at Komui for keeping him in the damned place, he would allowed his admiration to show more.

"What about you? Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"I have younger brother. I'm one year older than him. He the calmer of the two. He's a really sweet sometimes he's too nice. He's been trying to adopt all the stray cats of the world. That's one of his missions in life."

A light laugh. "Really? Where is he now?"

"Actually, I don't know. I haven't seen him in a few days. "

"Is he lost?"

"Actually, I think I'm the one that's lost. I'm just waiting for your jackass of a brother to let me out of here so I could go find my way back home."

Let him out? Wasn't he only going to do a medical check? Then why was he here? He was sure that they had gone somewhere. He thought he was sure. Then what was he doing here? Without his eyesight? Something must've happened. He wasn't like that when he go there.

His head hurt. The constant throbbing of his head, leg, and arm were really getting to him. He couldn't think straight. Actually, his whole body felt sore, as if had been training with Al.

"How did you get lost, if I may ask?" Her voice broke through his thoughts.

As if he knew. "I don't know. One moment I was there, now I'm here." That was practically as honest as he could be. Vague answers were not like him but what was he supposed to do?

_Damn_, he thought. Why was everything so complicated? Nothing was making sense. Nothing.

He furrowed his brows as the migraine grew. He felt his limbs grow heavy. He was really tired.

"Edward, are you feeling alright?"

Lenalee's voice was soon drowned out.

A dark feeling was starting to overwhelm him. More like a presence. An unnerving and unsettling presence. Someone or something was in his head.

The feeling did not recede. It was getting angrier. He could feel it slowly growing, as it were about to swallow him whole. What was it?

It was taking over. He didn't it there, though. He didn't want it near him. He wanted it _gone_.

It...hurt? What hurt? He could feel it. But where?_._

His breath caught in his throat. He couldn't breath. It was suffocating him. He could feel something constricting his chest in a way that he knew it was not from the outside. He could feel it inside of him. Something was killing him.

He couldn't do anything. His arms wouldn't move. His legs didn't move. His mouth didn't move.

Panic filled his chest. He didn't want to die. Not like that. But he couldn't do anything. His lungs were burning.

He needed air.

The alien presence changed again. The malevolence slowly eased, and the pressure on his chest was slowly being relieved.

But it did not leave. Almost as if it were mocking him, it stayed on his mind, making its presence obvious.

As he gasped for breath of air, he tried to fight off the dizziness the previous lack of air caused. With his left arm, the grabbed hold of his head and steadied it.

Damn, what was that?

A sharp pain in his right immobile arm was the answer.

Was it answering him?

A soft humming filled his head, as if in agreement.

Was he imagining that? He was sure that he felt something in his head. Kind of like when it happened in that place Komui took him. That place?

His eyes widened in realization was he realized that he never did take that damn check-up Komui was so set on. Komui had taken him to some place underground and something had touched him. He tried to transmute it but there was a rebound. He couldn't move after that. Then this thing...this beautifully enthralling thing...came into view. And then the Gate...

The Gate gave him something...and took something. What had he taken? His eyesight? The Nurse said it was shock, so it'll be back soon. What if that wasn't it? What could it be? He could still feel his limbs -some more than other but still. What had it given him?

What if it had taken away his eyesight? What if he could no longer see? He wouldn't be able to look for a way home. He wouldn't be able to-

A sharp pain shot up to his arm again.

What was that?

Was it whatever he felt was in his head? No. The pain was coming from his arm, not his head.

Using his left arm, he reached for his shoulder, feeling the soft silky shirt he had been given beforehand. Unbuttoning the first few buttons -they were a huge pain in the ass, he might add-, he slipped his hands to his shoulder, where the automail started. The thick metal was there and there wasn't anything causing pain there. It seemed the pain was coming from inside the automail, not outside. He dared not mess with the nerve wiring inside the automail.

He tried to lift his arm up but failed miserably. Something was holding his arm down, he was sure of it.

His hand followed his arm's length and stopped at the wrist. There was definitely something holding his wrist down. His fingers didn't have to search too long before finding a metal band holding down his automail.

What the hell? Did they expect him to go wild and destroy the place? Seriously, he though as he clapped his left hand against his right and touched the metal strap. He could feel the energy of the transmutation lightly around his skin before the cool material disappeared into a lump of metal, lead to be exact.

He silently braced for the transmutation pain that he knew would come, brow furrowed and teeth gritted. But it never came. His eyes widened as he felt the piece of metal, noting that it actually transmuted and it was not a trick of his mind. It was smaller than he intended, but it had transmuted without a single touch of pain. Why?

It was amazing they would waste lead for a thing like that.

Getting out of the bed with no more difficulties, Ed walked around a little bit, -keeping his arms stretched to prevent crashing-, getting used to walking after having a few times to walk in the past few days...hours...weeks...

He had no idea how long it had been since he had arrived in this world. He had no sesnes of time in this place, nothing to tell him when the day was past, or anything in that matter.

He should ask Lenalee, she would know. It wasn't like the nurse was the-

...

Lenalee. He had completely forgotten about her. Was she even there at that point. She wasn't talking to him? Or was she?

"Lenalee? Are you there?"

Silence.

He tried again. "Lenalee?"

He stretched his arm some more, searching for the nearest wall, trying to find the door. _And do what? _He thought, _walk around blind and pray to God I won't fall? _If anything, he shouldn't be able to walk, is automail in the state it was in. Then why was he walking? Why was he _able _to walk?

Sitting back on his bed,-wasting only a few seconds walking the opposite direction, hoping to get back where he was-, he brought his legs up to the bed, raising his soft pants to thigh level, his flesh hand searching. The metal was still there, he was sure of it, but not the way he last remembered it.

The metal felt smooth under his fingertips, without a scratch or dent. If anything, it felt new. The busted knee and rusty guards were now as smooth as they used to be when Winry had first fitted him with it. But what could have caused that to happen? Did someone build him new automail? Komui perhaps? No, he did not know anything about automail. Or at least not that he knew of. Maybe something altered the metal in the automail, causing the rust to return to its original shape and size. But he had already tried that, with little success. Was his arm the same way too? He pulled up the sleeve of his arm, and was completely amazed when he found that it was too back to its original form and shape. He could not help but marvel at how fine his automail was. The last time that he had crossed the gate and fought Dante, his arm had been a mess. But now, just by feeling the bolts and screws that kept his hand together, he was eternally grateful to whoever fixed his automail.

What was he doing? Why wasn't he looking for a way out of the place? Why wasn't he devising a plan to get out of there? Why couldn't he stress his brain for answers? There was so much going on in his head. He wanted to know what was going on, _why_, but he wasn't. He knew there were drugs in his system, but they were wearing off. Maybe he didn't _want_ to-

"Edward!" It was the nurse's voice. "Lenalee told me you wer-" She stopped. "How did you get your arm out of t- How di-"

He internally rolled his eyes. His mother always told him it was disrespectful but he hated when people didn't finish their questions. He debated whether he should respond.

"You're worse than Kanda. I leave you for a minute, and you're either out bed, hiding, or doing something completely unpredictable. Can I ask how did you get your arm out of the restraint?"

"Can I ask why there was a restraint in the first place?" He asked through gritted teeth. Answer a question with another question, it always worked to piss someone off.

A long-suffered sigh. "Perhaps it was because after you collapsed, your arm refused to stay still. It was possible you would hurt yourself so it was bound."

"It was metal."

"So is your arm."

Damn.

"How long have I been here?" He muttered, after a bitter moment of silence.

"Two days."

Two days. That was longer than he expected. He should be panicking at this point, he could feel his mind coming up with a few answers to the thousands of questions that his mind was quick to think of.

"You had a fever up until this morning." Her voice sounded tired but worried. "You couldn't believe how many trips I've made from the infirmary to here and back? Your heart stopped two times in two days. You know how bad that is? I can't blame you but I'll have a long conversation with Komui. Everybody has been a handful this past day. Well, you're better now and that's all that matters. Thank God."

He suddenly felt ashamed, his cheeks coloring. His heart had stopped. Twice. There were two times where he could have died, but didn't. Because of the woman beside him -or anywhere else, not like he could see her or anything- he was alive.

"I-I'm sorry. I was out of line. Thank you."

"I'll forgive you if you tell me how you got out of the bind."

Really? He preferred the 'where are you from' question better. At least now he knew London was an actual place.

"I transmuted it."

"Transmuted?"

"I changed the shape of the metal so I could get my arm out." Simple answers were unlike him, who usually went on ranting about how it works, the price and what not but a part of him -the sane part- told him he shouldn't reveal alchemy. Show yes, but no explaining. Humans were greedy, prideful and pathetic creatures. If he learned anything the past few days (or whoever long it was), humans did almost anything for power, even he had longed for power, whether for good or bad.

"How?"

"I transmuted it. Give me something." He said, his hand opened, and felt a block of metal fall into his hands. The same metal that strapped his arm down.

He laid it on his lap, and clapped before putting his hands on the block and concentrating. Hearing the slight crackle of the transmutation was sign of something happening. The chances of her finding out how to use alchemy to zip to none. He could perform alchemy without a transmutation circle, unlike most alchemist, and she could not deduce how much

"That's amazing. How did you-? I've seen many things in my life, but nev-"

"Nuurse!" He heard the voice come from far away, getting louder as it neared what he suspected was the door. The crack sound was once again heard when someone stepped inside the room, panting.

"What's wrong, Lenalee?" The nurse asked, in a hurried manner. She sounded worried, her talking becoming very...hesitating. Something sounded wrong.

"Komui was in the office with...Leverrier. Allen is being accused of being a traitor because of what happened in the Ark. I-I-" She stopped, probably hesitating too. He felt as if he shouldn't be hearing that. It sounded personal. She must really be worried about something. Perhaps that Allen guy is her friend and he'd going to be sentenced as a traitor. Why would they sentence someone though? As a town? Wasn't he staying at a hospital or research center? He didn't even think about the meaning of the Ark because he knew he didn't know and wasn't going to give himself a headache over it. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"Komui told me he'd come around later. I-I um- I brought the food you asked for. I'm going to go- and um- take care of Edward." A fast shuffling could be heard around the room before the door shut. There were a few moments of silence where neither spoke until:

"Is she alright?" Edward asked, somewhat worried. She sounded paranoid and panicky. The nurse let out a long sigh, and the he heard shuffling on his bed before something was laid down on his lap.

"She'll be fine. She doesn't have a good history with that man. The fact that he's here for something as stupid as treason is beyond me." She muttered to herself bitterly before taking his arm gently. There was a sting in his arm and he realized the small throb in his arm that had been there but he had never noticed.

"Make sure you don't remove your heart monitor again. You even tore the I.V without realizing it. Really! At this rate you'll never heal. Doesn't anyone worry about their health anymore?" She was ranting, but her mind wasn't all there. He was sure Lenalee was on her mind. Hell, even he was thinking about what was going on with her, despite not knowing jack about her. She seemed so cheery talking to him, most of the time, and hearing her like that was depressing for lack of better terms.

"Why aren't you eating?"

Oh. That was what was on his lap. He put his hand over the small table and felt the warmness of the food, but he couldn't smell it. The thought of eating made his hunger increase. Feeling the table around for fork, he was quickly handed one by the woman. He suspiciously brought the fork down and carefully brought it over to his mouth, savoring the taste of the fried rice as he chewed it. He thanked every deity he could for the taste of the sweet food in his mouth. He ate fast, despite his lack of eyesight, and made sure he finished his bowl of rice, with some kind of chicken on the side, before setting it down.

Ed licked his lips and drank a sip of water that was sitting next to the bowl, -as the nurse mentioned beforehand-, and before he knew it, he had already finished drinking the tall plastic cup full of water.

His stomach churned in demand of more food. His gut twisted and turned, starving. But how? Hadn't he just eaten? He had eaten a lot too, but then why was he still _starving_?

"You think I can get more food?" Pride was not a matter, he was starving. He had never felt so hungry in his entire life (except those first few days in the island) and he was in dire need of food.

"Oh. I'll go bring more." The surprise in her voice was evident, as he heard her moving beside him. She was probably distracted by the soft tone of her voice."Must be an effect of the Innocence," she whispered to herself, on the other side of the room before leaving.

Effect of the Innocence? What had she been talking about? Was he affected by something? What was it? Or maybe she was still talking about Lenalee._ Yeah_, he thought, _that must be it_.

What else could it be?

It took him a few minutes to clear his mind. He knew he should adjust to the world, but the fact that he couldn't get out of the damned place and take a good long look at the world and take it all, annoyed him. He was, by no means, trying to see his own hopelessness in the situation but he knew once he was determined enough and had enough knowledge of the world he would try his best to get back home.

Why though? Maybe this was for the best. Maybe he wasn't meant to go back? Maybe he should just stay in that place and not think about going home...or at least the place where he used to live. Could he ever really do that though? Truly forget about the place where he grew up, abandon the people in his life, abandon Al?

No, he shook his head furiously. But it wasn't like Al was helpless, he was, without a doubt, going to get by without him. It wasn't like there were any immortal creatures with dark plans going after him. He wouldn't need his older brother anymore...

He wasn't a child. He'd get by.

All that really left was a hollow feeling in his chest.

Ed stayed like that for a while, trying not to think about anything, keeping himself blank. Was that what he was going to keep doing? Running away from his problems and hope they disappear? Like his dad? He couldn't ignore the fact that he was in another world, where anything was possible and didn't have to make sense.

But it felt so much like a dream...

Like a dream that he would soon wake up from...

The door's crack sound alerted him. Someone was coming inside the room. The tap-tap of a heeled shoe stood out though. There were two people coming in. Perhaps it was Lenalee and the nurse again, with more food.

Tap-tap.

"Edward?"

That voice was the voice he wanted to hear, followed by the words: "You could leave now." But it never came.

"H-How are you doing?" Komui's professional voice came into play, if a little nervous. Why was everyone being so nervous and hesitant around him? Did he have some desease on him?

"I'm...good." Was all he could think about saying.

"That's good." Komui took a deep breath. "I need to tell you something. Something I should've told you early." He was alert now. Komui was going to say something that he was not going to like. He was sure of it. The alchemist was almost scared of what the scientist was going to say. The resignation in his voice kept him on edge.

"I'm sorry to say bu-" An icy voice interrupted.

"You are going to join and serve the Black Order as an exorcist."

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry to end it here. I'm really surprised at the response I'm getting from everyone. Thank all of you for the kind reviews you left last chapter. I really appreciated them, trust me. I know I ended at a bad point and I wrote this story in different parts so if it's a little confusing, then sorry. It'll clear up in the future. And if you need this explained then: Komui only trusted Lenalee and the Head Nurse about Edward, that's why they're the only ones that talk to him. Can you guess who the ass at the end is?

This isn't going to be an epic length fic, so yeah. There might be a time-skip cause, no offense but D. Gray-Man is complicated. I skipped like half of the show because I felt to lazy to watch all 103 something episodes so if there is something wrong, inform me :)

I'm also not going to turn Edward into Allen because that'll be straight out annoying. The only reason he's so hungry is because he's been sick for two days withouth food and the innocence is taking it's toll.

Most of the chapter is Ed's pov because I felt like it. I was going to do Lenalee's but nah, too lazy. The reason he's all blank and stuff in the beginning is because that's what happens after you've been sedated. You get all ugghhh and shit, trust me.

Please **_Review_**? I really want to know what you think about this chapter. _Really _want to know.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: I do not own D. Gray-Man or Fullmetal Alchemist in any way.

**Author's Note:** Read the bottom for AN.

* * *

Was it necessary for him to come along?

Komui internally rolled his eyes. He did not even want to see the boy's reaction to those words. What would they mean? For them, it would simply mean a new exorcist? For him?

He looked for Edward's reaction, seeking for some kind of otrage on his face. His eyes were still bound, his hair was set in a loose ponytail, his face expectant. He was stilll awfully pale, and his wrinkled clothes didn't help much. Judging by the chapped lips, he must've not eaten yet. The consistent bleeding from the bandaged bases of the 'automail' seemed to have finally stopped, leaving a noticable stain on Edward's white shirt , and a not-so-noticeable stain on the upper-half of his black slacks. At least now that he was awake, it was safer to change his clothes and clean his body. The restraint was gone and the boy looked alert. He expected him to react faster, but could he blame the boy for being so slow.

It almost took the kid a minute to react. His face relaxed and he shrugged.

The reaction astounded Komui. The kid was full of suprises.

As if he wasn't aware of two men looking at him expectantly, his hands simply roamed around this bed and stopped once they found the soft blanket. Without wasting a second, he laid himself on the bed facing the opposite direction on the other side of the bed. Stopping only a second to fluff his pillow, he placed his head on it and took a deep breath. Considering the hidden eyes, it was hard to tell whether they were open or closed.

"Edward?"

He shook the boy.

The kid moved a little but nothing more.

He shook him once more. Noticing a grimace set on the boy's face, he knew he was faking. "Get up," Komui said.

An exasperated sigh was heard. Edward slowly got up, displeasure on his face.

"You mean this isn't a dream?" His wit was back, if anything, Komui thought. He could hear the kid's annoyed tone, with slight disbelief in it.

He stood quiet. He did not know what to say. What could he say, especially with him in the room?

"I-"

_Slap_.

The slap resounded for a few seconds, leaving behind a startling silence.

He stood there shocked.

In front of him was Leverrier, his hand poised and raised. He could see Edward's face too. It did not change from the impassive gaze he held before. It took him a few seconds to fully realize what had just happened. Leverrier had just hit the boy. _Physically_.

This day was just going from bad to worse.

Edward drew his hand to his face, and stood immoblile, disbelief in his face. komui could already see a rather harsh red color forming around the boy's cheek.

"Who did that?"

His tone was icy, a way that he had never heard him speak in before.

Leverrier didn't miss a beat.

"This is not a game. You musn't treat like so, unless you would like to suffer the consequences." As soon as the man finished, he left the room, hands neatly behind his back, a slight tap after every step.

Damn. This made everything so much harder. He let out a sigh, hoping Leverrier would break his leg by accident on the way back to his office. He had already caused enough damage for a day. He shouldn't have let the man find out about the new exorcist candidate but he had no choice. That man had a spy in the Order, he knew it but who?

He looked back at the boy, who was suprisingly still in his bed. He was moving his jaw, his breathing shallow. He raised his fist, and with a sigh, brought it down on the table beside his bed.

He must've not even known there was a table there, but after he sent a bunch of wooden pieces of the furniture, more like dust, flying everywhere, he was bound to notice. His visible muscles were clenching, and his automail arm, clinking and clanking. He saw the boy instictly grab his arm, and let out a grunt of surprise. Komui's eyes went wide as he saw the dry stain in the boy's shirt suddenly looked wet and growing in size. He quickly grabbed some clean bandages from the cabinet and some disinfectant and went to the boy's hurt side.

"Here, don't move." He advised, as he reached for his shirt.

"Don't touch me." The boy snarled, his mouth set in a frown. His human hand reached for his shoulder and he slowly began to control his breathing. He must've been used to the pain, he thought.

"I want to help yo-"

"I could tell." He hissed, his breathing close to normal. Komui reached for the automail, despite the previous warning. It felt wierd to touch, and it twitched for a second before he lost sight of it and saw it swing down before him.

He was going to die, he thought. With that arm, he was able to pulverize wood and it wasn't like his head was much harder.

When he realized that his head was still intact after a few seconds, he looked up. The arm was stiffly above his head, stopped in midair before it slowly went back to Edward.

"That wasn't supposed to happen." The boy quietly said. Komui slowly looked over him. What wasn't supposed to happen? Him surviving? Getting slapped? Talk about vague.

"None of this was supposed to happen." Edward continued. He didn't even sound angry anymore. He sounded tired. Really tired. It sadly reminded him of the exorcists, which he still needed to over with him.

Silence.

"Would it be okay I bandage your shoulder?" He quietly asked. The boy stoppped for a moment. He raised his real hand towards his shoulder, where his skin and the automail connected.

"It's...bleeding." He stated, not really asking. He then nodded stiffly, his face expressionless.

He quickly removed the stained shirt and the soiled bandages. It did not look okay. It looked pretty far from okay actually. The scarred skin was puffy and red. It didn't look infected but it was still a possibility. It was most likely the Innocence. It looked like it recided in his automail arm, considering the old rusted steal looked new and bright. It looked like it had a different shape than it had the day Edward showed it to him. It looked proportional and right, but he wondered at what price.

He slowly put disinfectant on the angry skin and clean up the blood. He was completely careful, not really wanting to hurt the kid anymore than he had already. He was expecting some kind of pain reaction from him, but nothing changed the impassive face he wore.

"I'm sorry about all this." Komui confessed.

The boy said nothing.

"As much as I hate to say, at this point, you have no choice but to join our organization. Especially since Leverrier knows. The man who was in here before, the one..."

"The one that slapped me?" His tone was so cold, he was scared he was going to kill Leverrier.

"It wasn't right for him to do that. He shouldn't have done that. But we can't do anything about him. He's has a higher position than anybody here."

He carefully wrapped the boy's chest and shoulder, throwing away the debris of Edward's borrowed shirt, but not before looking at the deep scar the kid wore on his chest. It was really deep, deep enough to kill, but it looked completely healed over. It looked a few inches deep and it looked like a clean cut, as if a thick knife or something cut him. Whatever it was, it must've been painful and hard to recover from, especially in such close range to the heart.

"Can I ask what happened here?" Komui asked, touching the kid's chest, looking at this face for a reaction. Confusion.

Ed lightly lifted his hand and felt the depression on his chest. He seemed to remember something, judging by his long silence, and his face. How long had it been since the Innocence synchronization? The nerve shock should be wearing off, just like the sedatives. The Innocence was still going to remain sealed for the most part, until his body finished adapting at least if it doesn't kill him in the process.

If he survived the next couple of weeks, he was going to be assigned to a general, to be trained.

He reached for the quiet boy's head and undid the white bandage around his eyes, taking advantage he was calm at the moment. He could have just asked him though, but he would have wanted to do it himself and hurt his shoulder even more.

"Can you see?" Komui asked, throwing the bandages aside. Edward took a moment to frown at the sudden invasion of personal space, before he blinked a couple of times. The shade of color bothered him again. He had previously told himself that he was probably exaggerating the similarity of the eyes, but at that point, looking at them so close up, he had no doubt about it. Everything was complicating. Had he mentioned the dilemma to Leverrier...he didn't even want to think about it.

"Can you?" He repeated, waiting for a response.

Ed had his brow scrunched up in concentration and blinked a few times. He took a moment before the supervisor felt a strong fist collide with his face.

He fell on his back, his hand gripping the side of his face where he had been hit. He quickly got up and yelled at the kid, surprised at the sudden attack.

"What was that for?" Komui exclaimed. "I _wasn't_ the one that hit you." Edward kept frowning and glaring at the asian man, refusing to answer.

It would've been a funny picture. Edward, with a stubborn look on his face, frowning and refusing to talk to him like a little kid would, but since his cheek hurt like a bitch, it wasn't as funny.

"Look, I'm sorry things had to go this way. I really am. This was not what I expected when you first came in, but-" He stopped for a moment and sighed."But there's not much we can do anymore. Trust me, it'd be easier if you just willing joined us. It's not that bad anyway. You get paid trips, paid food, paid-"

"In exchange of what?" Edward asked, looking at him cynically. Now being able to look at his eyes, everything felt different. When he had walked into the room, he had felt guity, but now talking to him, he felt almost intimidated.

"In exchange for helping us destroy akuma, find Innocence, fight-"

"What's that?"

Only a person, who had been living under a very heavy rock would ask that question, but now was not the moment, so he began from the beginning. At first it was a simple explanation of the akuma and their purpose. Then the conversation progressed into a more detailed explanation with their current war against the Earl. And from there, it went into a quick description of what the man did and how he created his loyal akuma. He was wary of discussing it, knowing Edward was either a very talented spy or he was an ignorant idiot. Only when he described the process of how people are brought back to life after dying by their loved ones, did Edward express true disgust, or something of the sort.

He looked at Komui, his golden eyes wide and...something he couldn't describe.

"They know what they're doing under the command of that earl?" He practically spat out, as if it was seriously against his moral, which it was.

"They are aware but they cannot control what they do. The moment their souls bond with the machines, they are helpless to do anything but the Earl's commands. That's why we need you to help us with your Innocence. The exorcists and dying out while the akuma armies are growing. We need to win this war, no matter what it takes."

After a brief silence of Edward's eyes looking at him, he answered.

"I don't believe you."

Out of all the things Komui thought of -endless hours wasted on planning what to say to the boy to help ease him into joining the Order- he had never thought of scoffing.

A simple noise that was between a snort and a scoff left his mouth. Maybe it was because of his knowledge that everywhere in the world, akuma were there. Or maybe because something have to be living under a boulder to miss all the monster roaming around, especially if he was a traveler. If anything, Komui didn't believe _him_.

"Why?"

Edward stopped and looked at him with disbelief for an even longer time. Komui would've thought he'd been at least a little offended by his rude remark, but that didn't even look like it bothered him.

"You said it yourself. People can't be brought back from life. Life flows in one direction, anyone even trying to is a fool." Ed looked away, a strange bitterness laced in his voice.

"You'd be amazed how many people have done it. Someone dies, they fall in depression. Not knowing that simple little favor from the Earl would not only kill them, but put their loved ones through hell."

"For how long has this war been going on?"

"A while." Usually, the real amount of time the war had been going on was disheartening and most were overwhelmed with such information.

"A couple years while? Or a couple of hundred years while?" Did the kid have be such a smartass skeptic?

Komui coughed into his fist. "The latter."

"So you want me to fight and serve you, risk my life and who-knows-what else, for a war that has been going on for a couple hundred years?" What a mocking kid, considering all the scars on his body, he wouldn't be surprised if he had provoked those fights in the first place.

"No. I refuse to become someone else's soldier again. I am not going to give up my life for something I don't want to be part of." Again?

"Even if it means saving the lives of innocent people that are caught up in the struggle?"

"That should have been your concern this entire time."

Komui's face blanched. As much as his bitter self hated to admit it, the boy was right. But how could he? With all the other concerns he was forced to deal with?

"When can I leave?" Didn't be already mention this. Damned boy was stubborn. Why couldn't he be like most the other Exorcists and join willingly, eager to help the cause. What made him so stubborn and dead-set against joining anything and so hurried to leave?

"What is so important that you have to leave in such a hurry?"

"I want to go back to my life and the way things you used to be before I ended up here."

"Considering all that you've told me so far: Your brother is dead. You have no home. You tried to bring him back to life, and I think now you know how serious it but I think you already knew beforehand. If you knew bringing someone back from death was wrong, why did you do it? You can't even remember how you got all the way over here. Did you not see how high our headquarters is? What are you planning to do now? Travel by yourself, looking for your missing home and dead brother? That must be some life. Your brother must've been real proud to have had a brother like you. Risking your life to bring him back when you know it's a hopeless cause."

He saw Edward's eyes grow wide with guilt, but then narrow down dangerously. His mouth was set in a line, his jaw clenched. He knew he had crossed the line but...

"Shut up. I don't care. I'd rather be doing that than risk my life for some war that might ever end. At least I'm not sending people to their deaths. I know what I believe in and I refuse to go against my beliefs. From what I've heard just being here, someone is already being suspected for treason. Your sister isn't very happy about that is she? I'm surprised she's willing to stay in a place like this. You must really be some brother to keep her in a life surrounded by death."

He couldn't move. He had never wanted to do this for a long time. He literally felt like getting up and _choking_ the life out of the little brat. Who the hell was he? Ranting on about this? How had he heard about Allen? How did he know Lenalee was a mess right now? If it wasn't for him, he'd be at her side right now. How the hell could he even mention her to him like that?

Komui straightened and sat up. "You could make this easy or hard. You could try to escape. Every exit in and out this place is sealed. You will be forced to help the Order, even if they have to keep you locked up for the rest of your life. If that happens, the chances of you ever looking for whatever you are looking for is none. Leverrier would not mind. Or you could join willingly. You will be given many privileges, and throughout missions, you could look. I will assume you agreed. It will allow you to leave this room and look around if you wish. The Mess Hall is one floor down to the left. The library is on the second to last floor to the right. Anything else, just come find me. The few things you are now allowed to is the entrance. You wouldn't be able to go through anyway. Your Innocence has been sealed for the meantime until we are sure that your body could handle it."

With that, Komui got up and left.

* * *

He was in a foul mood. After Komui closed the door, he fumed silently.

That asshole. How the hell could he mention Al like that? What gave him that right? He just wanted one shot to kick his ass. Just one, he's make it last. Now he was being forced to jon their stupid organization. The only thing that kept him from kicking his ass is that it would raise alarm and he did not know his way through the place. He didn't know whether or not to believe that all the exits were sealed. What did he mean that his Innocence was sealed? He could feel it in his automail, so he assumed that's what he had meant. They put something in him and he could feel it at the edges of his consciousness. At least now he knows what was going on.

When at last, the Head Nurse came and gave him the food and his insides practically begged him for, he began to feel better.

She began giving him a quick check-up, feeling his arms and shoulders.

"If this is still not enough, you may go to the Mess Hall. Not many people are awake right now. It's very late. If you'll excuse me, I need to go attend other patients. There's a new fresh set of clothes to your right. Komui told me your vision returned. If you suffer any sort of problem, no matter how small, come back. There is a room that is assigned to you on the far right of the door in the end of the hall."

She left, wishing him a good night.

He watched her leave. His vision might have been back but it wasn't as good as it used to be. He knew it would a while before it completely came back. He thought for a small moment, about everything that had just happened, then dug into his food. It was so warm and so good. Nothing in the world would have stopped him from eating that moment. His stomach was grumbling from the lack of food, while he ate and he had no choice but to keep eating, but what felt so wrong was that, no matter how much he ate, it didn't fill him up completely. Trying to stop himself from chocking, he chugged down the last of the water and relaxed for a moment.

Eating made him feel so much better now. His foul mood had slowly been going away since he had taken that first bite. Usually, after he ate, he either worked it off with Al, or went to take a nap. He wasn't tired at all, after he slept for such a long time. He got up from his bed and stretched, feeling many bones pop at the sudden movement. Maybe it was the laying in bed all day that put him in that bad mood, or maybe it ws Komui's assholeness. Either one.

He changed his clothes -there was dried blood on his thighs and he had to clean that too- and left the room, putting on the black cloak that lay on the bed along his clothes. He looked at himself for a quick second, looking at his white shirt and black pants and suddenly missed the weight and security of his belt and silver watch. Using the bed sheets, he transmuted himself some white gloves and slipped them on before leaving the room.

The Nurse was right; there wasn't almost anyone roaming around the hallways -which by the way looked endless- and he started walking around. He felt as if he hadn't walked for years, like he felt after he had first gotten his automail. He loved being able to move, but he hated being in a place he didn't like.

Just walking around, knowing where things were was such a relief. Most of the walls were thick and made of dark bricks. It looked pretty old but what he saw earlier with Komui looked pretty advanced. He wouldn't put it past them to have things that no other people would know about. That was what the military.

Thinking of the military, he wondered how Mustang was. He was probably alright. It would been a big blow to the bastard's pride had he died, after already surviving Ishbal. What about Wrath, Envy and Dante? What about Rose, staying there by herself after all that happened? Would Al be there to help her? Or would Dante take her body and use it, just so it could die out in a couple of months? He hated thinking sometimes. He wasn't as paranoid as Winry and Sheska but he always either overthinked something or not thought at all. Either way, he would have ended up in the hospital. Damn his luck.

"Ahh, Yuu! Be more careful." Came a pained grunt out of nowhere. Edward's eyes widened and quickly followed the sound. It came from a room with atwo double-doors. Was he being reckless by going into a room he didn't know? Or was he smart for trying to find out what was in there?

He poked his head into the room and found it to be a very impressive -and large- dojo. There stood two tall people. After focusing his eyes a little, he looked more closely. One of them was clutching his hand painfully, while the other had a long pole in his hand, glaring at the redhead.

"That's what you get. Don't go off saying my name like that," spat out the other one, with the dark hair. He spotted him and rolled his eyes. "See? Now people know we're here."

Edward walked, not really caring that one of them was glaring at him viciously. He felt his blood rise at the sight of the equipment, his body excited for any type of battle.

"Tch, what do you want pipsqueak?"

He momentarily saw red.

"What did you say?" He gritted out.

"Tch. Can't you hear?" So that guy was an asshole too? He wanted no more than to kick his ass at that moment.

"Yuu, stop being so impolite." The other guy told him, picking up his fallen weapon.

"You bastard. You should put that down, wouldn't want to break your nail." Ed said, coming closer and closer to the man. He heard him growl and smirked.

"What did you say?"

"What? Can't hear me? Would you like me to repeat myself?" He felt his smirk grow more and more the closer he got to him. He was practically face to face with the man.

"Shut your mouth before I shut it for you." The redhead was practically panicking.

"Kanda! Look at the time! We should go. What if they find us here?" Edward could tell that he was trying to stop them before they got into a physical fight, just like Al would.

To make things worse, he walked over to where the poles stood and took one, slowly assessing the size and technique, the same damn smirk never leaving his face. "Why don't we solve this differently, perhaps a spar?"

"Tch." Kanda looked back at him, disdain clear in his eyes. They glared at each other for a full moment, before the others eyes' widened. He gripped his staff tightly, before bringing it above his head and let it down with such a force, had Edward not been expecting it, would've have -at least- cracked his head.

"Noah." He whispered, keeping his staff tightly in his grasp.

The smirk soon left his lips. "Wait. What-" He couldn't finish before he brought down another blow, stronger than the one before. Ed quickly blocked it, before returning it with aa force that he had trained with for years.

"Lavi, he's a Noah." Lavi looked at him for a moment, before asking:

"Are you sure? Komui mentioned someone joining the Order this morning, what if it's this guy?" Ed took a moment to glare at him before quickly defending himself against the incoming blows. "Plus, he would have been detected long before now, and we'd already be dead."

Kanda took a moment to process what he had just been told. Then smirked dangerously. "I'll just have to find out the hard way then."

Edward just took that as a sign that he could go all out.

* * *

Lavi just thought that guy was adorable when he walked in on him and Yuu, with his pretty hair and flawless skin. He was like a little golden Allen, but a bigger attitude problem. When he challenged Yuu? Well, he just thought he was completely suicidal. When he was mistaken for a Noah? He saw it coming. Komui had informed him along with Bookman and Leverrier about his peculiar appearance. He must've been something for getting Komui to worry that much. After Komui and Leverrier had left, he was pretty sure where they were going. He had mentioned that the kid's eyesight might've worsened as an effect of the Innocence, but he wasn't sure. Perhaps it had affected his eye color as well. He noticed just how discreet Komui was being about him. For good reason too, he thought as he watched the kid fight -not defend, fight- Kanda, looking as if enjoyed every single bead of sweat he produced.

They had been fighting for two hours straight. Two hours and thirty-nine minutes to be exact. He was pretty sure that Kanda was going to win. He had the kid on defense for the first half of the fight but he started defending himself slowly. He was sure that Kanda had cracked a smirk once or twice, not that the latter would ever admit it.

But now, the kid was on fire. He must've been really frustrated to be fighting this hard. How could someone have skills like these and not be known? The kid was a mystery no doubt. If anything, all he knew about him was that he was the Order's secret, he was really good at fighting, and he was as stubborn as Yuu Kanda.

He could tell the two of them were tired, by the labored breathing and the growing pauses between blows, but none of them stopped their blows. Even Kanda was being more careful, not his usual arrogant self.

Marie arrived later, almost at the three hour mark. He took a seat next to him, asking about what was going on.

"Simple. This guy came, challenged Kanda and they are currently in a battle of live and death, love and lust for me." Had Kanda even heard what he had just said, he wouldn't be alive at the moment.

Marie gave a chuckle at his dramatic self. He was too wearing those warm and fluffy -but thick- hospital robes.

"Who is he anyway?"

"Order newbie."

"Oh. Kanda must be having a blast. No one has ever lasted this long against him. I actually can't believe the kid is still in one piece."

"If only you could see him."

And the fight continued. Lavi was tired just watching them. After this, they were going to be sore for years. The staffs were slightly bloody, probably cause of all the damage they were both causing their palms, but who cared? Kanda could heal, and the kid could...heal...slower?

Johnny joined them after that, yawning and muttering something about coffee. As did Tup. They didn't even ask who Kanda was fighting -considering they were half-asleep. Lavi didn't care really, as long as they did not interrupt the ongoing battle or cause enough commotion to allow the Nurse to find them. All he cared about at the moment was the winner. He even had water bottles ready for the winner. He was so thoughtful sometimes.

After what seemed like hours after that -almost exactly ten minutes, give or take a few seconds, courtesy of Lavi's pocketwatch- they both slowed down considerably. Kanda was gasping and panting, never breaking eyes contact with the new kid. As for the kid? He looked a lot better when he first walked in. His braid was almost completely undone and his skin was shining with sweat, but he was still smirking! He had to give it to the kid, he was strong -at least physically- or he was a complete masochist. He, on the other hand, was breathing too deep and shallow, rasping and gasping for breath. He was probably exhausted, but he didn't drop his stance for a moment.

The only things he felt truly sorry for, were their weapons. They were some of the strongest wood ever, customized personally for Yuu's brutish strength. Now the were chipped and worn, stained and ugly.

Kanda quiclkly raised his staff up, some of his hair rising with it -the hair tie was long gone- and brought it down. Instead of going defensive, the kid raised his staff offensively -probably the last of his strength, considering his shaking arms- and they clashed.

He couldn't watch, someone was going to die in that moment! When he heard the crack -and Johnny's suprised gasp- he knew the kid had died. May God receive his soul and forever be in harmony and...something else. He was too sleep-deprived to even think about the beyond. Should he look? It was going to be a bloody mess -the Nurse was going to _murder_ Kanda!- or maybe it was a clean kill. Maybe they both bursted into flames from sparring -more like cage-fighting- too much! Now he wanted to see.

He did not expect that. Okay, maybe -somewhere in the reaches of his mind- he did. There Kanda and the kid stood, each grasping their broken staffs. They were both on either knee -Yuu on his right and the kid on his right- and clutching their weapon for support.

About time!

So who won?

"I don't think either one won. Kanda wasn't in any shape to win and neither was that boy. But to last against him that long? He must be something."

Was Noise in his mind? Was he reading every thought he was having? Was it a mistake of Johnny to give him pure unsweet caffeine at 5 something in the morning?

"No. You asked me out loud. Isn't caffeine part of your everyday diet anyway? Aren't you always like this anyway?" Marie, got up suddenly and moved towards the door on the opposite side of the room.

"The Head Nurse is on her way here."

* * *

**Author's Note_:_** I'm so glad I got this chapter out of the way. I can't believe I took this long to write this much but I've been so busy lately with school, projects and what-not. About the chapter, I know there are many plot holes so shut up. Kanda and Edward? I'm a biased, but realistic asshole. I think that Edward is more physically talented than anyone in D. Gray-Man. I don't know why, probably cause he's a genius at fighting, or because Izumi trained him like crazy, either one. I think that Kanda is the only one that's going to ever be a match with him. Why was the fight so long? I could actually see them fighting this long, in my head. Let's face it, they are both stubborn as hell and none of the want to give up. I know Kanda has better talent with his Muggeeen but I don't care, that's why I had them fight with staffs (I'm a Dick Grayson/Nightwing/Robin fan). Don't try to argue with me, I prefer discussing. See, I didn't exactly plan this chapter out. If it wasn't for my getting my period, I wouldn't have written this in the first place and you would have had to waited months before this chapter came out. Why is Lavi so crazy? I don't know. I didn't want to write him all emo and thoughtful as he is often described, so he is know supidly thoughtful and !emo. By the way, who has a point, Ed or Komui?

I just realized something. I really hate Lenalee. Like I wished she had died in the manga and the anime. I really want her gone, at least she'd cause hotguys!angst. That's all she's good for anyway. I hope she dies in a fire actually. I know I'm being immature but I can't stand her. She's selfish by being unselfishly selfish. Does that make sense? All she really is is fanservice and a high-pitched annoying voice that annoys the hell out of me. I actually skipped entire arcs of the anime because they're about her. What a damsel-in-distressed! I know I'm being immature but really. I didn't even like her when she had long hair. I'm not going to be biased when I write about her cause she's not hard to write, she's pretty cliche and predictable. Lavi's the one I'm worried about.

I need reviews. I know, I sound fucking needy and shit but I'm going to be realistic. A writer might be inspired as hell but if no one reviews, there's no point in writing. I don't believe in that whole 'i write because i breath' shit, this is corporate America, no one does something unless it profits them in some way. Like -let's say- my ego!

_**Review**_. I'll make you a deal. I know how the next chapters are going to be like and I have a surprise for you guys. If I get inspired enough by more-than-one-lined reviews, I will fastfoward that surprise and include in the next chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I Don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, or D. Grayman.

* * *

He was loving this.

He continued to block the taller man's attacks. He was amazed at how good he was. The only ones that would ever beat him in a staff fight, or even stand a chance, were Alphonse -who did beat him on more than one occasion (or all)- and Izumi -who beat him in all occasions.

Feeling the opposing staff almost hit his skin, he instinctively ducked and brought down the staff with him. He could feel the blood on his gloves smear the stick, making it slightly harder to grip. He wondered whether Kanda was having the same problem.

Dodging an incoming blow, he brought his weapon down in front of him, deflecting the shot and brought it down to his side, blocking another blow. He was fast, he though, grinning. He couldn't help it. This fight was everything he hoped for and more. Ignoring the fact that his arms were already cramping from the long time he had been fighting and the way his knees were almost giving up on his, he continued his attacks. He was tired, that was for sure, but he hadn't had an adrenaline rush like that for a while. Maybe it was because this time, he was fighting for the hell of it instead of putting his life in danger -but he swore that if one of Kanda's recent blows struck his head, he'd be dead- like he had for the last few days.

Last few days, that all if felt like for him.

After a rather murderous blow struck his staff, he knew it was coming to an end and he was not planning on losing to this asshole. Using the last of his strength, he raised his staff up, as did Kanda, and brought it down, feeling his arm completely cramp up in the move. He knew that he would not be in danger for leaving his side completely open, since Kanda had done the same thing. After the blow had been done, and he realized that he could no longer stand -didn't stop him from trying- and fell on his automail knee. He reached to take back his staff, only to realize the bigger half was gone and the leftover piece was chipped. He gasped for air, holding on to his staff to support him. His arms felt numb now, and his legs looked like they had no intention of getting up. His arms were stiff and did not respond to his mind's command. After the adrenaline rush left him, he could feel all the pain that he had ignored before. His flesh hand stung from sweat and his hair was loose from the battle.

Lifting his head up slowly, he met Kanda's eye. Kanda narrowed his eyes dangerously and Ed let out a grin. He realized one thing from the look the man was giving him. He had not lost, but he was sure as hell he had not won.

They both remained like that, catching their breath and that was when he first noticed that they had an audience. There was the wide-eyed red-head, the bald dark-skinned man with his eyes closed, a kid with big glasses, a white lab coat, and his hair in a ponytail. There was also a bigger man dark-skinned man but Edward could tell he was asleep, unlike his companion because of his non-existant glasses. When had they come in? What time was it anyway? He was sure he spent more than an hour, but he had lost track of time a while ago.

Getting to his feet -with a lot of trouble, especially after someone shouted out 'Head Nurse'- he walked toward the exit, leaving the chipped wood aside and walking as fast as his legs would take him. Had he not had an automail leg, he was sure he would have still been no chance of standing on his feet. He quickly braided his hair and tried to make himself as presentable as possible just in case the Head Nurse would see him. He grabbed his coat and put it on, transmuted the blood off his white gloves and made sure all the buttons on his shirt were buttoned. After the Izumi incidence, there was reason why he stopped wearing buttoned shirts. Who ever knew that his aggressively strict teacher like everything looking proper.

He slipped into the hallway and tried to remember which room had been assigned to him. After racking his memory, he easily found his way to his room and shut the door behind him.

The room was simple. There was a bed, a small table with chair and no windows. What a coincidence. No windows, not even an inkling of light coming from outside. He raised his eyebrows. Komui had been serious about being kept inside, as if he were an animal. He hadn't exactly been fair to Komui, but like hell he was about to do what someone else ordered, as if he were their dog. The military wasn't as bad as he expected but just being expected to do what he was told and the way they handled Shou Tucker's death, it was something he wouldn't be able to get used to. What made him think that they were any different? As long as they have soldiers on the field, and money in their back pocket, they considered themselves gods.

Exorcists. That's what they wanted him to become. He didn't want to be anything. He just wanted to leave and find his brother, or a way home. Now he was stuck with something in his arm, he was locked somewhere, being watched -as if that would stop him from doing anything- and he had no idea what he was going to do. He could use his alchemy to escape and he was pretty sure that he could survive traveling -he had before- and he could work for money if anything. Not work for those bastards that wanted him to fight for them, but work for an honest business and make enough to go out and travel whenever he wished to. What were the chances of finding Hohenheim? He knew that he had crossed the gate and he would be there but how was he supposed to know for sure? He was literally on a blind chase for someone that might not even be there.

The situation was so bleak, he did not even want to think about it but had no choice. He felt like time was running out. Obligation and worry were keeping him from thinking something other than going home and finding his brother. To find a way home. Only the Philosopher's Stone could guarantee summoning the Gate without any fatal consequences, but after everything that stupid stone caused him, there was no way he would even consider it. Dante -that bitch- had mentioned that everyone was connected to the Gate -especially babies- but few could summon it and there was no way he was going to use a baby child just to get home.

He sighed and laid down on the bed, his muscles relaxing against the stiff mattress. He was not sleepy at all. But while he was wide awake, his body was tired from the relentless fight. He would not be able to sleep even if he wanted to, and thought of any place he could go to from there. Lenalee had told him that London was close, maybe Hohenheim was there. At least he had a start. When would he break out of this stupid place? He looked around. The whole place was practically made out of cement, brick and rock. Alchemy was a quick solution to all of that but he could not help shake off the feeling he shouldn't perform alchemy or draw even more unwanted attention on himself.

He stayed like that for about an hour or two, before getting up and stretching his protesting muscles. He was hungry again. Grabbing the cloak, he left the small room. The hallway was still mostly empty but it wasn't like there would be enough people to really fill in the emptiness. The place was huge, and he felt like he had only seen the same boring parts -except the dojo, cause that was totally worth it- and he tried to find his way to the cafeteria.

He thought it was going to be difficult trying to find his way to the cafeteria. He thought he was going to get lost and break something. He was completely wrong. The one sense that he almost never really used was the one acting as his guide. The overwhelming smell of food was obvious in the air. It was so beautiful, his stomach said. He soon found his way to the large cafeteria.

It was relatively empty, apparently being early in the morning, but he did spot a familiar person. The redhead that he had previously seen with Kanda, was eating along with another person, with white hair. His hair color reminded him of Scar, but his skin was too pale. He looked young, about his age. He was probably going to die early too, choking from what he could see. He could barely see his face, a bowl constantly keeping him from doing so.

He quickly dismissed them, focusing on his goal. He walked up the window where most of the smell was coming from. He lowered his hood as a pink-haired man approached him, a spatula in hand.

If he had thought he had seen every eccentrically dressed person ever, he was now corrected. With pink dreadlocks, the man looked at him, smiling widely.

"Hey honey," He felt goosebumps go down his back- "I haven't seen you around here. Name's Jerry. What can I get you today, gorgeous?"

He stiffened at the name, but the smell. The smell. It was like heaven on earth. He had to have whatever was cooking in that kitchen. He felt his mouth water as he inhaled deeply.

"Um, can I get some food?"

Edward Elric was a genius and he knew it. Loads of money had been wasted on his research, sponsoring his brain and intellect. He was the youngest person to ever make it in the military. Youngest State Alchemist too. All of that, yet that was the only response he could give?

"Hmm? Food. Oh, we got the food, but you need to be more specific honey."

He could feel his face coloring. What was he supposed to ask for? Chicken? Pork?

"Need a menu?" But before he could ask, "Well, we can't afford it. But we can afford: eggs with bacon -hmm, that is so good this time in the morning-, waffles, pancakes, chicken nuggets with a side of ketchup, dumplings, and soba. But if you want, I could cook you up some mean chicken strips with a side of rice. Would you like that? Hmmm?"

"Yeah, can you include the eggs and bacon?"

"Yes! The pretty boy has an appetite too." The man winked at him, "Coming right up."

Jerry left, leaving Edward stunned. He had no idea whether he should be complimented or insulted by everything the man told hi-

Something thumped his back hard, before hearing a too-cheery voice. "Heeeellooo!"

The same redhead he had seen was now leaning on him, a shit-eating grin on his face. He could practically feel the man getting on his nerves.

"I never did catch your name..." He looked at him expectantly, but when he saw the frown on his face, he retreated a little. "Mine's Lavi. That shorty over there is Allen, I would introduce you but you know what they say: Shouldn't get in between a man and his food."

His eye twitched at the mention of that word, but since it wasn't directed at him, he let it slide.

"My name's Edward."

"Edward? Can I call you Ed? Or Edd-"

"Order up honey!" Jerry called him, or he could assumed he called him, with a tray containing everything he had ordered including a cup of coffee.

"I didn't know what to give you. You don't look like you drink tea. I hope you like coffee cause those are the only two things offered this early in the morning." Yet they had chicken strips and rice? Right...

"Thanks a lot." He flashed the man a smile, eternally grateful of the delicious smelling food he was carrying. The man winked again.

"Any time cutie!" Had the man not been so foward, he might have not felt so comfortable on the far-end table, very far away from the man. An image of Psiron popped into his head but he dismissed it, not letting memories ruin his food.

It was so beautiful, he thought as he took the first bite, and it tasted beautiful. The plate didn't last much longer after that. He devoured it under seconds, burning his tongue twice in the process.

"You seem to be enjoying that a little too much, don't ya think?"

It was Lavi. Again. He felt his eye twitch again. Maybe if he ignored him, he would just go away...

"I'm hungry."

The taller man chuckled, taking a seat in front of him. Damn it.

He took a deep gulp of coffee, feeling the caffeine's bitter flavor abuse his taste buds.

"So, how'd you get the fake arm?" Lavi asked, nonchalantly. When Edward have him a look, he just laughed.

"Haha, I kinda noticed when I thumped you." He reached out and showed him his red palm.

"Hm. I fell." Edward focused on his food, trying to get out of the conversation, before he asked any more specific questions.

"You mean you fell down a cliff, got into a horrific fight with a man-eating savage bear and tore your arm off and you nearly died before someone found you and conveniently knew someone who could make artificial limbs?"

After a few moments of tense silence -expect for someone's rather loud snacking in the back- Ed laughed. "Kind of like that."

"Really?" Lavi narrowed his single eye, "Or are you amusing me?"

"...Do you really want to know?"

The redhead shrugged. "Not really." But the curious glint in his eye did not leave.

Edward seized the moment before it left. "Then don't ask."

And just like that, he continued his meal, not looking at the resentful eye Lavi was giving him, deprived of the wanted information.

His eggs and bacon soon disappeared, taking the same journey as the chicken.

"Can I at least see it?" The man tried pouting, too bad the red un-combed hair, the grown face and the tall frame did not help.

"No." Lavi

"Ever heard of invasion of privacy?" Ed asked, looking up at the older male.

"Ever heard of respecting your elders?" The witty redhead responded back, leaning into his face. It was funny because he could count with his fingers how many times someone had told him that. Suddenly, an image of Pinako came up to mind. Damn old lady will always come back to haunt him. Her and her words.

"Tell me why you're so interested in my arm, and I'll let you see it." Edward proposed. After all, Equivalent Exchange was still in play.

"You see Allen, the skinny bastard behind me -I don't know how he does it, look at him eat-? Well, his arm is pretty hard -well, was really hard-, I don't know. Perhaps you would like to compare and contrast?" Edward raise an eyebrow, looking at the white-haired boy behind Lavi, who seemed to be on his fifth bowl of food, and looked at his arm. It was covered by his clothes but he did manage to catch some black skin.

He unbuttoned the sleve and pulled it back. The arm seemed to shine under the room's light. Edward hadn't noticed this before. He knew it was in good shape but this was the first time he noticed the small layer of shine that came from the arm. He pulled of the white glove, flexing the fingers watching as they moved smoothly (well as smoothly as the best automail can).

He glanced at Lavi, checking if the look was satisfactory but the man had a strange look in his face before he cracked a smile. He took Edward's arm tightly and dragged him over to the other table.

"Hey! What do you thin-"

"Alleeeen. Look at the kid's arm. Isn't it awesome?" Lavi asked, looking excited over the new discovery. He finally let go of the struggling teenager the moment Allen took notice of the two.

"Lavi, don't do that to people. It's not polite." His gaze went to the fuming boy. "Sorry, about that. Lavi tends to take things overboard. My name is Allen Walker by the way." The white-haired boy offered his right hand in a polite gesture.

He took the boy's hand and shook it. "Edward Elric. Nice to meet you." He took note of Allen's appearance. He seemed to be brought up as a gentlemen. His white long-sleeved shirt under a gray vest with matching slacks. Something he noticed was what looked like a scar on the kid's face. Well, a funny scar running down his left eye which looked almost straight were it not for the star-like form above his eye and bent angle toward the end of it. Looked like it hurt, he noted.

At least he wasn't as invading his privacy. He noted how the boy's gaze slipped to exposed arm.

"Wow, that's quite...impressive." The boy laughed, almost nerviously. He pulled up his own sleeve to reveal a black arm. Not a black-skinned color arm. A dead-looking arm. The thing looked scaley. There seemed to be a familiar glow to the cross that was embedded in his skin. As much as he hated to admit it, he considered himself lucky it came to the appearance of his automail, cause some other things just looked unnatural.

"Damn."

It was then when the boy decided to look at him in the eyes -he didn't know whether to be offended or not-.

Allen's eyes widened,and in a swift motion, he felt himself being thrown on his back and felt someone's weight keep him down. He struggled to get up but the pressure and the pain rising from his shoulder only let him cry out for a moment. "What the hell!"

He stopped for a moment, taking note of two things. Allen's arm -the ugly one- was no longer human-shaped. In fact, it almost looked mechanical. From his hand, long sharp fingers stood out. Now those looked _lethal_. The other thing was something it took him a second to notice. Allen was looking at him in strange way. His eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes were wide with..._hate_. Hate. Like how Scar looked at him when he had tried to kill him. Pure _hate_.

"Allen! It's not what you think!" Lavi exclaimed, pulling Allen from him. Allen stopped for a moment, but Edward quickly deduced that it wasn't because he wanted to but because the red-head put himself between the two.

Edward quickly rose. Allen's gaze on him begun anew before Lavi explained something about 'not a noah'. Ed didn't really pay much attention to the conversation before he felt something strange. Almost like a tug. He looked around the room. It was almost clear except for Allen, Lavi, an old man in the other table and a young man with a ponytail -whose suspicious gaze was more than obvious- and himself. All the tables were clear.

There was something pulling him, at the edge of his consciousness. Something bad was going on.

Following his instinct, he ran out of the room, in whatever direction his consciousness. He found it strange, but he was almost sure his left leg was running on its own. He could vaguely hear Lavi calling after him and then following after him.

A deep sense of foreboding was overwhelming his insides. His stomach was clenched and he bit his lip in anticipation. It was only when he arrived to a large open door did he stop.

He stopped before at the end of the wall and looked inside.

With the purpose of keeping people out -most likely-, there were many signs that read -under no uncertain terms- 'Chemistry Group ONLY'. He took a peek inside. It was full of people, each doing their own thing, but there was something strange. There was a large blue stone -egg?- further in the room. But that wasn't what was strange- "Ed, what are you-". There was four people close to him, all frozen in place.

The guy -the one who he had seen with the Head Nurse- was staring at the blond man, who was stabbing him with something.

He jumped into the room, but he sure no one took notice of him. Everyone was too busy looking at the man suddenly disappear and in his place, a dark woman, with black hair and bored golden eyes appeared.

Had Edward not moved when he had, he would've probably ended on the other side of the wide, black wall that appeared behind the mysterious woman. A black cloud -were they people?- emerged from the black wall.

Chaos wass the only thing that he could see.

A dash of white and brown soon began attacking the black monsters -they didn't even look remotely human anymore- and he quickly recognized the white blur as Allen, who was -slowly but surely- diminishing the number of akuma. Those were the things that Komui had spoken to him about.

The feeling in his chest was slowly receeding but there was something he couldn't explain. He felt his automail hand clench and unclench, without trying. Only his will kept it from moving around freely. But suddenly he felt a dark presence behind him.

_Clap_.

He quickly turned his automail into the normal blade, but -he didn't even noticed when- he could see a dark black liquid suddenly run down from it. His eyes could only witness as the dark monster fell to the ground, its head gone.

He could hear his own breathing. His breath coming in quick gasps. The beat of his heart racing.

He could only vaguely feel his arm moving before stopping, another body on the floor.

He couldn't stop.

His eyesight began blurring.

The only thing that he could do was watch as his body reacted on his own.

The only thing keeping him standing was his automail leg that refused to give up.

_Slash._

_Slash._

_Thump._

_Slash._

_Slash._

_Thump._

_Thump._

In the corner of his eye, he saw men in white coats cower beneath the overwhelming power of the akuma.

_Slash._

The one of the men fell, clutching his arm. The other five men -including the big one he had seen earlier that morning in the dojo- hopelessly looked for weapons -Slash- or some kind of defensive structure.

Another man fell, this time -_Slash_- completely limp.

_Thump_.

Four more akuma rounded up on the men. At this rate -Slash- they would surely die.

_Thump_.

He needed to help them.

_Slash_.

They were going to die.

He couldn't stop his arm. His _Innocence_.

He needed to help though.

He felt something shove him to the side. His arms screamed in relief at the pressure recided.

"Edward!"

A familiar red-head appeared before him. His single eye shone with worry.

It was then when he noticed he could move freely. He was soaked in the akuma's blood. It didn't even look red.

He looked at where the men were. They looked exactly how the were before. But time did not stop.

Not sparing it another thought, he clapped his hands and put them on the ground, the warmth of alchemy engulfing him for a moment.

The ground shone a famliar blue light, before tall metal spikes rose from the ground and -in a single line- butchered the akuma, while leaving the transmutation as a line of defense for the fallen men. He met one of their gazes and one of them -who was tending his fallen comrades- mouthed something to him.

_Thank you._

His gaze returned to Lavi, suddenly feeling exhausted. He seemed amazed, looking between Edward and the changed metal.

"How-?"

Edward took a deep breath, looking around the room. The room was changing. No longer did the akuma seem to be at overwhelming odds against them. He could see Allen, still fighting, donned in white. He could see the old man -whom he recognized from the cafeteria- fighting with a number of awesome attacks. The men in white who had previously dominated the room before it turned into a battlefield were either wounded on the floor or hiding behind the many machines. The woman was nowhere in sight. There were other monsters too -with skulls as heads- walking towards the wounded. They looked wary, with many akuma defending them from the attacks.

One was looking down on a fallen man, doing something funny with his hand before simply getting up and walking up to the next man. The akuma behind him just looked at the man before blood spilled everywhere.

The men in the line -not many- just looked, horror reflecting in their eyes. They could do nothing as another Skull-thing continued his thing.

Edward could feel his stomach rebelling against him. There were too many akuma for all the men to defeat.

Quickly clapping his hands, he let on fall on the ground before a large metal hand rose from the ground beneath the Skull thing and crushed him, blood spilling on the floor like harsh rain. Before the akuma even had the chance to react, he clapped his hands once more, before a large dome-like structure covered the fallen men, leaving only enough room for normal-sized men to be able to crawl under. The akuma defending the Skill spotted him, rushing over to attack but he never have them the chance. They were crushed under a hand, just like their master. He transmuted another wall, this time in front of him, just to protect him for a moment.

He couldn't do anymore. His hands would no longer move. His eyes were closing on him.

The world was spinning around him and no matter how much he wanted it to stop, he threw up. He retched into the space beside him, everything he had just eaten coming back to haunt him. A bile taste invaded his mouth and he found it almost impossible to stop.

The adrenaline rush soon ended, leaving him exhausted and breathless. He then realized how many rips his shirt had, and how many cuts and bruises his skin wore. His human leg was sporting an admirable cut. When did he get that?

"Ed! Can you hear me?" _Slap_.

The sting from the slap almost burned into his skin. Lavi was beside him, his hand raised, trying to get a reaction out of him. He seemed more or less okay. His red hair a mess and his clothes dirty.

"Look, we we're not winning. We need to get rid of all these akuma. We need to call for help before the Noah comes back with more reinforcement. Panda and Allen aren't going to last much longer. Do you think you find a way out?"

Edward nodded, to stunned for words. Everything was moving so slow, but so fast. Wasn't he just eating a meal a few moments before? Looking up at the wall supporting him, he touched the surface.

He clapped his hands and settled them on the thick wall, making a rather large hole that blended in into the hallway. Since there was no longer a wall supporting him, he began to fall before he felt a pair of arms catch him.

Lavi maneuvered him into a sitting position.

"Just sit tight, okay? I'm going to get some help. Don't move."

Lavi's reassuring voice was suddenly gone and he could hear his footsteps running to the newly formed hallway.

So he was just going to sit there, hearing battle cries and screams?

There wasn't anything he could do apart from that, could he?

He sat there, studying the metal protecting him from any danger from the battle. He wasn't like Alphonse. He couldn't just rush into the battle and start fighting, no reason to protect his armor, but it didn't stop him from doing so anyway.

"...found you."

He looked up to see the person who had abandoned the battle, the person who had started it in the first place. Long black hair was the first thing his eyes really adjusted to. Then the white coat, then the gray-ish skin. Her gold eyes almost shone in the dark setting, her face emotionless.

The dark woman looked at him mercilessly, before coming closer...and closer...and closer.

He felt a cold stiff hand grab his chin, long nails digging into his skin. He shut his eyes at the pain it brought, a snarl coming to his lips. His right arm was twitching uncontrollably and began to hurt his shoulder at the lack of movement.

"Don't touch me." He spat, but his demand went unheard.

"Gold blond hair. Bright gold eyes. A metal arm. You must be Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ah Shit! Before I forget I want to thank you all for those encouraging reviews! This was a pain in the ass to write, trust me. I know it's extremely fast paced but I couldn't waste hours going crazy over details and what not. I know the HQ Attack was supposed to be all brutal and shit but I think the reason it was so bad was because it was a surprise attack. Plus, Level 4 hasn't appeared. :) That's when shit is gonna get down. (Just Kidding) How come I can never write a chapter without Ed going all blank and shit? :( Am I the only one that loves how epically gay Jerry is? (He's based on my best friend, that homo)

This is Part 1 of 2. There will be one more chapter concerning this arc and then there shall be a time skip cause I'm that down. I keep watching D. Gray-Man episodes and stuff, trying to see how I could make things happen, but the whole Leverrier, Hevlaska, Lenalee and Komui things keeps getting in the way. So while Allen, Lavi and Kanda are getting their asses BEAT, Lenalee has a long internal conflict of how much her brother gave up for her...and stills drinks the Innocence, knowing it'll probably kill her. I give her points for bravery, but takes points off for making her brother suffer. But when Edward and Alphonse do it, its OKAY :) I'm such an ass. :D

Please Review! I was a little nervous about this chapter cause it was strange. It's weird and shorter then the previous one. :/ So I would appreciate to hear your opinion on it in a more than one line review.

Edit: This chapter got deleted by accident so I fixed it and uploaded it again. :)))


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer**: D. Grayman does not belong to me.

* * *

Lavi ran as fast as he could through the shaking hallways and the panicking men. He wouldn've been there faster, he knew, if his leg hadn't been fractured when he had jumped away from the collapsing lab. The akuma were relentless in their assault.

Throwing a couple of men dirty looks when they didn't move fast enough, he ran through the corridors until he found the room he was looking for. The thick walls of the hospital wings were a good place to take the kid after taking that much damage.

That kid didn't look okay. From the time he found him to the time he left him on his own -Damn it Lavi! Why are you so stupid- he had gone from okay to critically injured. He should have brought him along but he knew he would not be able to support him on his leg and would have only made them both sitting chicken in the middle of the attack.

Dragging himself to the entrance of the infirmary, he heard hushed voices and people struggling.

"I'm sorry Lenalee but this is the only way to-"

"I don't care. I need to help them. I need to-"

"Please, don't make this harder than it has to be. The others will get help. We are sending all available help down to the lab-"

"They'll just die. They're not trained for this. I am! I need to go-"

Lenalee made a small grunting sound as she was dropped, and before she could run, the thick doors of Krory's room were effectively shut, with two men on either side of the door.

Lavi could see Komui from the corner of the corridor but he dared not go and try to defend Lenalee because he knew the dangers of going into battle without being properly equipped.

Komui turned to one of the men beside him.

"I need you to find Lavi and Kanda. Do not let them engage in battle. They aren't prepared."

The man nodded before leaving the corridor in a hurried manner.

Lenalee's screams were still going on but Lavi had no time to feel pity for her. He wasn't allowed to go into battle, but if he told someone to get Edward from his spot, it would take them time -time they could no afford- to find him and take him to safety. He would need to bring the boy here without arousing suspicion.

He grunted as he quietly made his way around the hallways, trying to hide from the sights of any assigned men that knew about their orders. He could not afford to be taken out of the battle, not yet. He did not even know where Panda was, or if he was even alive, but he did not take the time to think. He needed to act. He needed to forget about his worries, about the foreboding feeling about the kid and the powers he had shown -powers he had shown when his Innocence was _sealed-_

He needed to stop.

Lavi stopped when he finally reached the hole Edward had conviniently placed in the thick iron wall to the entrance of the battle. He could see the battle from there.

Akuma were everywhere, but they no longer had the edge they had in the beginning of the battle. Although the Exorcists were tired, he could see akuma being steadily annihilated. Allen was there, battle cries and everything, and he could see his mentor throwing attacks, looking weary but alive.

Lavi tore his gaze from the battle and looked at the wreckage in front of his, looking for a blood -akuma blood, how had the kid survived that?- soaked kid with metal limbs. He looked at the cravence in the wall, where the kid had summoned -summoned? Made? What did he even do?- a wall to protect him from the ongoing battle but although he could see the bloody coat the kid had no, the boy was nowehere in sight.

He panicked, his heart skipping a few beats, before he looked further and further into the distance, trying to find a sign of where the kid could be. It would be a miracle if the kid was even alive, without seeing the complete damage the akuma dealt him before he manage to destroy the. The kid was nearly dead with exhaustion the last time he had seen him. It wasn't as if the kid would be able to walk away after something life that, he was barley concious.

His internal ramblings continued until he saw a drop, a single red drop of blood on the ground, amid all the black essence from the dead akuma around him.

And the dot led to another drop, which led to another, which led to more blood, this time in a more thicker shape, as if the kid had been _dragged_...

Lavi did not waste any time. Dragging his hurt leg along, he followed the ongoing trail of blood, internally flinching when he heard his comrades cry out in pain from another and another attack.

The trail was not a clean trail, blood spilling along every couple of feet or so, so it meant that the kid had fought, and had been alive, if it meant anything now.

Finally, he heard a voice talking in a hushed whisper.

"My father will be very pleased. I have attained his precious and even found-"

There a cough and the sound of something falling on the ground. Something metal.

"Go to hell." He heard the kid -he was alive- say, and he practically see the damned smirk on his face. But then he heard a pained groan and knew he had to act, and act fast because he didn't any human being could survive losing so much blood.

"You still struggle? A slow and painful death is much more preferable to you?"

Lavi stopped, hiding behind the collapsed roof of one of the fallen staircases. He could now see the kid's exhausted face, his shining eyes stuggling to stay open, his heavy limbs dropped on either side. Now he could clearly see Lulubell dragging the boy from the ripped and tattered white shirt. She was leading him away from the battle -at least- and was alone. If he could only distract her long enough to get Edward away from her...

He didn't even have a weapon, anything to hurt her with or at least defend himself with but he had to try. Try somethin-

_Clap_.

He heard the electricity-like power running from the ground before the ground beneath Edward shifted and formed spikes, piercing his captor.

Lulubell shriek before jumping a safe distance away from the boy, her release resulting in his head slamming into the ground, but alive.

"Insolent child, you will pay for that." He heard her say, her slim form walking back toward the boy, intent obvious when her whip-like hands ready for attacking.

Another clap resounded through the empty broken room. This time, the walls shifted around , before separating from their place and forming an even thicker wall between the boy and the Noah.

It was now or never.

The kid, sitting up from his fallen state, had his hands on the ground, his eyes slowly focusing on Lavi before rolling back. His small body collapsed on the ground, and, for a moment, Lavi feared the worst.

He could vaguely hear Lulubell struggling to destroy the wall separating the two, and Lavi knew it was a matter of minuted before she would succeed.

He needed to take the kid back now.

Gently taking the kid's human arm and throwing it over his shoulders, Lavi stood up, hissing slightly at his leg's momentary stiffness. Edward's body was light enough, like Allen, but his injuries worried him but he did not let them stop him from getting the kid to safety.

Trying to move as fast as possible, he led Edward away from the battle, and did his best to move around the damage of the akuma attacks, staying hidden from them.

He did not know how fast he moved, but he could not hear Lulubell coming from behind him, and his eye shifted to the ongoing attack, wishing he had his Innocence with him, or at least the reassurance of Kanda at his side.

He dared not to stop, fearing that the Noah was only moments behind him and kept his tired body moving, through the damaged surroundings and the pain.

He vaguely noticed someone calling out to him, his vision blurring, and his limbs shaking. He needed to take the kid out of there, he had to.

"Lavi! Dear god. Let me take him. You! Help Lavi." He could hear Komui bark out orders, and someone take the kid off him. At that moment, he had never loved Komui more. The weight off his shoulders was like a blessing from _God_ himself but the moment he let go, he felt his leg fall under his weight.

A man whose name he did not know, took his arm with a strong grip and helped him get to his feet. He thanked the man, grateful at the help and walked to wherever he was being walked to.

Probably the same room Lenalee had been taken to.

But the kid, he had to know about the kid.

"Komu-mui, is he okay?"

He opened his eye and saw Komui, looking a little rough around the edges -but alive- supporting the kid, who was still unconscious, his golden-like hair falling from his loosened up braid, his temples marred with blood, along with his clothes and arms. With the cloak gone and the white shirt ripped to shreds, he could see the metal limbs from the base of his shoulders, those horrible deep scars decorating the broad back.

"He's...alive," the hesitation in Komui's voice was troubling but the kid was alive and that's all that mattered.

"Lulubell-"

"Is gone. She ran off a while ago. I fear she is battling with the rest. You two are quite lucky to even be alive but I am not complaining. We managed to control the battle, and the egg is protected. Whoever was able to breach the Lab wall change the tide of the battle. If not, we do not know what would have happened."

"It was the kid-the kid did it. I don't know how but he changed whatever he touched into whatever he wanted. How? I thought you said his Innocence was sealed."

The surprise was evident in Komui's voice. "His Innocence is _sealed_. H-He changed what he touched. He's the one thtat formed the hole on the wall? Incredible. By touching it?"

Lavi nodded, feeling his strength returning, little by little. He felt mildly better knowing he wasn't the only one who found that incredible.

"That could also explain the layer of material that protected the fallen scientists from the Skulls. They found the Skull crushed."

Lavi nodded. "It was all the kid. I saw him do it. Just clapped his hands and poof! An enormous hand made of metal crushed the thing. I don't know how he did it- I've never seen Innocence act like that before."

Komui kept walking ahead of him and the guard, Edward in hand, looking at the kid like he was going to attack them out of the sudden. But he did not miss the glint in Komui's eyes, like he knew something, something he wasn't willing to share. Lavi sighed. Komui had told him and Bookman about Edward, because of their title, but only just. He wasn't willing to share the secrets of the boy with just anyone. Leverrier was a must but if he had a choice, Lavi knew Komui wouldn't have told anyone. The kid's spontaneous appearance, his suspicious attitude, his metal limbs and Hevlaska's choice in him were baffling and no plausible explanation.

However, if Leverrier would ever find out the extent of the boy's powers, with his sealed Innocence, the consequences for the boy would be devastating.

For a moment, Lavi felt a spark of pity in his heart.

He felt Komui stop for a moment, had on his ear, listenting to the new information he was being given from the progress of defeating the akuma.

Komui turned around, his awe-struck face clearly evident, mouth open and eyes wide.

Lavi stopped for a moment, trying to figure out what would make Komui so terrified, before he fell onto the ground as a large pressure shook the entire headquarters.

"What's that?"

Komui eyes were lined with shock.

"A dragon."

An overwhelming silence filled the room as imminent destruction lay ahead.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I know, I know. This is really short, like really short. I wish I would have written more but all that actionpacked scenery going on in my head died. Just kidding, it was never really going to happen. I've never really been good with action scenes, and this is actually part of the plot, cause if you knew what went on during the missing morning, you would figure out the plot and that would be unacceptable :D If you want to complain, go ahead, but writing it was never in my plans, and I love cliffhangers, so go to hell. I wanted to write more but I knew if I tried, I would have never uploaded in my life.

Most of my writing is cut and dry so if you wanted some romantic poems full of details, dazzling emotions and breathtaking words, you're in the wrong place.

After this is going to be the much awaited timeskip, something I've really wanted to write.

Please review, I want to know your ideas about the timeskip, what happened in this morning, and what you think should happen in the future, maybe you'll jumpstart my writing.


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